There can be no doubt that the 2025 UKLA Book Awards shortlists published today demonstrate how important it is to them, that all children and young people can find themselves represented in the books that they read or study.

The UKLA Book Awards 2025 Judging Process

In the only national awards entirely judged by teachers, 87 teacher judges, who had been recruited to one of the four categories, have been reading and debating the 20 books longlisted in each category, in their small network groups, since September. When all the groups came together in Liverpool John Moores University, where the eventual winners will be announced at the UKLA International Conference on 27th June, it was positive, empowering or innovative representation of children’s lives that was almost invariably a deciding factor in the impassioned debates.

For UKLA, giving classroom practitioners the opportunity to read high quality new children’s books is as important as finding an overall winner. Research carried out by members of UKLA (Cremin et al 2008) clearly demonstrated the links between teachers’ knowledge of children’s books and the likelihood of pupils reading for pleasure. Despite this evidence, teachers are seldom given time to read new books or the funding to purchase them when they do. Judge Liam Ault emphasised the ‘excitement of the children’ sharing these ‘ quality books and new authors’ and Hannah Heesom praised the valuable experience of being involved in these ‘new and different groups of fellow teachers sharing their experiences of using the books’ As Tracy Robinson said - "So many rich and thoughtful discussions. The love for current children's literature was palpable"

As Chris Lockwood, Awards Chair said, “From the moment the Book Awards team met our 2025 teacher judges and their group leaders in Liverpool last September, we knew that we were in for a treat. They were a reflective, informed and enthusiastic group, serious about the responsibility of choosing just six books from each of the four wonderful longlists. At the shortlisting meeting, it was a joy to hear teachers reflecting on the advice we had received from Dr. Darren Chetty and Nikki Gamble on “how to be a good judge”, and they certainly were. The Book Awards Team have received a very warm welcome by everyone involved  with children’s literature in Liverpool – the schools, the universities and other professionals involved in promoting the importance of Reading for Pleasure”

The UKLA 2025 Book Awards Categories

In the 3-6+ category, books that explore empowerment and evoke empathy and understanding are foremost. We have Karen George’s beautiful evocation of dementia and the supportive friendship between a little girl and her elderly neighbour in Mr Mornington’s Favourite Things and the sensitive portrayal by Cassie Silva in Listening to the Quiet, based on her lived experience, of a child whose mother is slowly losing her sense of hearing. In Salat in Secret, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow shines a light on an important facet of Islam through the eyes of Muhammad, a Muslim boy who becomes able to overcome his worries, talk to his teacher and find the perfect place to pray. Gina Kaminkski Saves the Wolf by Craig Barr-Green is not only a joyful twist on a traditional tale, but portrays a confident autistic child, determined to challenge problems and identify solutions and coping strategies. Debut author Mariesa Dulak’s playful rhyming text, There's A Tiger On The Train, tackles the genuine problem of parents being distracted by their phones, to the detriment of their child’s wellbeing and in the companion to her previous UKLA winner, Barbara Throws a Wobbler, Nadia Shireen completes the shortlist with Geoffrey Gets the Jitters, a wise and comical look at anxiety and how to overcome it.

Despite different genres and text types in the 7-10+ category, the overwhelming theme they all share is an empowering message of resilience. In Code Name Kingfisher by Liz Kessler, who was previously shortlisted in the 11-14+ category, we are shown the bravery and courage that three strong female protagonists display against the harshest odds in wartime Holland. A second equally powerful WW2 narrative, Safiyah’s War, by Hiba Noor Khan and previously shortlisted for the 2024 Carnegie Medal for Writing, showcases the important and virtually unknown Muslim efforts to rescue Jews in Paris. A wonderfully empathetic poetry collection by Stephen Lightbown, And I Climbed and I Climbed, previously shortlisted for the CliPPA, powerfully uses the authors experience of being a wheelchair user to depict the emotions of Cosmo, a boy disabled by a fall from a tree and the effect this has on those around him. Authentic, highly relatable representation of children’s lives impacted by poverty, is the real strength of two very different debut novels by authors best known for other text types. Picture book author Tom Percival in his first novel, The Wrong Shoes, shows Will struggling to have enough to eat, to find the right crowd and to support his dad. The Final Year, currently shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Writing and winner of the CLiPPA, is poet Matt Goodfellow’s unforgettable verse novel about Nate’s transition into the last year of primary school. Completing the shortlist is Stitch by Pádraig Kenny, a Gothic tale with heart, humour and pathos, with the important and inclusive message that ‘everyone is different’.

The hard-fought 11-14+ category has three books also currently shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Writing, with UKLA judges similarly moved by their important themes. Nathanael Lessore repeats his 2024 achievement of double UKLA and Carnegie shortlisting and provides an important challenge to toxic masculinity and its negative impact on both males and females, with his trademark humour and authentic voice, in King of Nothing. Glasgow Boys, the tender debut novel from Margaret McDonald, similarly explores the emotional lives of two young men in Glasgow, with their hard-won resilience to overcome past traumas showing that even the most fraught childhood is not without hope. Clare Furniss is shortlisted for UKLA for the second time with The Things We Leave Behind, set in an all too believable near-future London at the epicentre of a refugee crisis, which makes the reader question themselves and the world we live in. Also with a second UKLA shortlisting, is Danielle Jawando, with If My Words Had Wings, a hard-hitting novel partly written in the verse which has given young offender Tyrell his voice and the opportunity to reclaim his life from systemic racism and violence. Previously shortlisted in 7-10+, this is the first shortlisting in this category for Elle McNichol with Keedie, which tackles themes of bullying, healthy relationships, and neurodiversity from the unique perspective of a young autistic student who sets up an anti-bullying agency. The shortlist concludes with The Boy Next Door by Jenny Ireland who crafts an impactful story exploring romance, disability and grief.

The Information 3-14+ category features three remarkable debut titles and books which showcase the whole age range. Stones and Bones: Fossils and the stories they tell, is a debut for both author Rob Wilshaw and publisher Cicada and is like having a friendly guide to show you around Earth’s past. Slug Life by Moesha Kellaway and published by Rocket Bird Books is another author and publisher debut featuring Stevie, the World’s grumpiest slug. Written in first-person narrative we follow Stevie's experiences as he learns amazing facts about slugs and discovers why he should be proud to be one. The final debut, Homebody by Theo Parrish also features on the current shortlist for the Carnegie Medal for Illustration. This empathetic graphic novel autobiography honestly explores trans identity and the importance of living authentically and will bring comfort and recognition for those who are on their own journey of identity exploration, gently educating readers in how to understand what pupils, friends and loved ones may be going through. At the opposite end of the age range, we have Catherine Cawthorne’s funny and informative Big Bad Wolf Investigates Fairy Tales, where the infamous wolf takes on a new role as a scientist, confronting the more outlandish claims of fairy tales. Brilliant Black British History by Atinuke is a fantastic, comprehensive study of people with black skin in Britain from 300,000 thousand years ago to the present day. Wild Languages of Mother Nature by Gabby Dawnay concludes the shortlist with a fascinating exploration of communication between animals and plants, that shows that humanity may not have the unique capability of language after all.

The UKLA Book Awards 2025 Shortlists in Full

Shortlist 3-6+

Gina Kaminski Saves a Wolf. Written by Craig Barr-Green and illustrated by Francis Martin 

There's A Tiger on The Train. Written by Mariesa Dulak and illustrated by Rebecca Cobb

Mr Mornington's Favourite Things.  Written and illustrated by Karen George Burgess

Geoffrey Gets the Jitters. Written and illustrated by Nadia Shireen

Listening to the Quiet. Written by Cassie Silva and illustrated by Frances Ives

Salat in Secret. Written by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow and illustrated by Hatem Aly

Shortlist 7-10+

The Final Year. Written by Matt Goodfellow  and illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton

Stitch. Written by Pádraig Kenny

Code Name Kingfisher. Written by Liz Kessler

Safiyyah's War. Written by Hiba Noor Khan

And I Climbed And I Climbed. Written by Stephen Lightbown and illustrated by Shih-Yu Lin

The Wrong Shoes. Written and illustrated by Tom Percival

Shortlist 11- 14+

The Things We Leave Behind. Written by Clare Furniss

The Boy Next Door. Written by Jenny Ireland

If My Words Had Wings. Written by Danielle Jawando

King of Nothing  Written by Nathaneal Lessore

Glasgow Boys. Written by Margaret McDonald

Keedie. Written by Elle McNicoll

Shortlist Information Books 3-14+

Brilliant Black British History Written by Atinuke and illustrated by Kingsley Nebechi

Big Bad Wolf Investigates Fairy Tales. Written by Catherine Cawthorne and illustrated by Sara Ogilvie

Wild Languages of Mother Nature. Written by Gabby Dawnay and illustrated by Margaux Samson- Abadie

Slug Life. Written and illustrated by Moesha Kellaway

Homebody. Written and illustrated by Theo Parish

Stones and Bones. Written by Rob Wilshaw and illustrated by Sophie Williams

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