Waterstones Children’s Book Prize shortlists announced

In the UK, the shortlists for the 2023 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize have been announced.

The shortlisted titles in each category are:

Illustrated books

• The Fairy Garden (Georgia Buckthorn, illus by Isabella Mazzanti, Ivy Kids)
• What Do You See When You Look At a Tree? (Emma Carlisle, Big Picture Press)
• I am NOT a Prince (Rachael Davis, illus by Beatrix Hatcher, Hachette Children’s Group)
• Gretel the Wonder Mammoth (Kim Hillyard, PRH Children’s)
• The Station Cat (Stephen Hogtun, DK)
• The Missing Piece (Jordan Stephens, illus by Beth Suzanna, Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

Younger readers

• The Book of Stolen Dreams (David Farr, Usborne Publishing)
• Nura and the Immortal Palace (M T Khan, Walker Books)
• Small! (Hannah Moffatt, Everything with Words)
• The Last Firefox (Lee Newbery, PRH Children’s)
• Ajay and the Mumbai Sun (Varsha Shah, Chicken House)
• The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger (J T Williams, illus by Simone Douglas, Farshore)  

Older readers

• All That’s Left in the World (Erik J Brown, Hachette Children’s)
• Welcome to St Hell (Lewis Hancox, Scholastic)
• The Cats We Meet Along The Way (Nadia Mikail, Guppy Publishing)
• Ellie Pillai is Brown (Christine Pillainayagam, Faber)
• If You Still Recognise Me (Cynthia So, Stripes Publishing)
• Once Upon a Fever (Angharad Walker, Chicken House).

Each category winner will receive £2000 (A$3500), with the winners then vying for the overall title of Waterstones Children’s Book of the Year and an extra £3000 (A$5200).

The Waterstones Children’s Book Prize is voted for by Waterstones booksellers, with the winning books promoted across the retail chain’s stores. For more information, visit the Waterstones website.

Category: Awards International news