LONGLISTS FOR THE 2027 BOOK AWARDS SHOWCASE THE RANGE, DEPTH AND QUALITY OF UK CHILDREN’S PUBLISHING
The unique and highly regarded UKLA Book Awards, the only national awards judged by teachers, have three age categories for fiction and poetry and a category for Information books, which makes them particularly useful for their colleagues in schools around the UK, who can easily identify what will be suited to their own classroom. Featuring books in translation, past winners, exciting debuts and a huge range of genres, topics and themes, the longlists published today showcase high-quality children’s books that can reflect all identities and promote diversity, and are ones that every teacher, who wants to inspire a passion for reading for pleasure, needs in their school.
For Awards sponsor, Nikki Gamble of The Reading Journey, “The UKLA Book Awards are significant not only for the recognition and celebration of high-quality literature for children, but also for the underpinning principle that teachers’ knowledge of children’s books is fundamental to creating readers in classrooms. At a time when there is much talk about a crisis in reading for pleasure, we should pause to reflect on the teachers who are helping to buck this trend and how they achieve positive outcomes.”
With more than 100 submissions in each category, competition to gain a place in the four longlists published today, is intense. The selection panels, comprising experienced past teacher judges, ex-teachers, librarians, and consultants are presented with a significant reading challenge over the summer and some difficult decisions. But as teacher Kerry Hudson, said: “ Longlisting is a highlight of my teaching calendar. I get to immerse myself in wonderful children’s literature, in all its richness and diversity. It provides the opportunity to discuss with colleagues, challenge opinions and think of how the texts could be used in the classroom. I always end the process with a renewed excitement for the forthcoming school year, full of books to share with colleagues and my children alike, and characters and storylines that stay with me long after they have been read.”
The UKLA awards are remarkable also for being completely uninfluenced by any commercial factors, such as sales or expensive marketing campaigns, and they do not require the payment of fees at any point in the process. This significantly opens up the process to small independent publishers, giving them the opportunity to promote their books in the valuable school market. Once again, small imprints like Troika Books, Scallywag Press, Magic Cat, Everything with Words and Old Barn Books have secured places and Cicada Books, this time, achieved the remarkable feat of having all three of their submissions longlisted in the Information category.
Ziggy Hanaor, Cicada’s founder said “As a small, independent publisher, it means so much to have three of our books longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards this year. At Cicada, we take risks, champion emerging illustration talent and try to make books that do things differently. In a publishing world full of big sharks, it’s wonderful to have UKLA on the side of the feisty little fish” .
UKLA’s eligibility criteria allow submissions from international publishers with a UK distributor and so books from Little Island, Greenwillow, Clarion and Greystone Kids add an international flavour to the longlists. More familiar names are also well represented with Walker Books again the most successful publisher overall, having a total of eight books longlisted across the categories. Penguin Random House, with six books longlisted, are the only publisher to be successful in every category and yet, perhaps the most remarkable publishing achievement comes from Catch a Leaf Publishing.
“Catch a Leaf is a tiny and very new-to-publishing team, so the news that one of our titles has been longlisted in the UKLA Book Awards feels like the ultimate validation of all the hard work we put in – it shows that even the smallest fish in a big pond can sparkle! To be selected is also extra special because the judging panel consists of teachers, librarians and readers of books – it’s not about marketing or promotional spend, but simply whether these important people see value in a book. We are thrilled.” Franziska Green, Editor, Catch a Leaf Publishing.
Awards Chair, Christine Lockwood, said “Our four teams of longlisting judges, one for each Book Awards category, have been reading non-stop over a hot summer. From the many wonderful books submitted by publishers, they have chosen a selection of twenty brilliant books per category to present to our four teams of teacher judges at a launch meeting in Manchester on September 19th. These books now pass to the 89 teacher judges to read, share with their colleagues and classes, and discuss in depth within their Book Groups. In March we will meet again, to decide on shortlists of six per category – I know that the teacher judges are going to have a wonderful time!”
As Nikki Gamble concluded “The Reading Journey from Just Imagine is thrilled to be sponsoring the UKLA Book Awards again this year. The teachers judging these awards bring their knowledge of the classroom and an understanding of how some books have the capacity to change lives. But they also learn and grow through the judging process and by sharing their knowledge and expertise with colleagues across the age phases. This repository of excellence continues to impact teachers and children across the education community after the judging process is completed.
The books on the longlist are a testament to the teachers’ thoughtful deliberations. The longlists represent the best in publishing for children, from brilliant and lively storytelling in words and pictures to illuminating and thoughtfully designed nonfiction that opens up new worlds, always with the child reader at the centre. The authors, illustrators, designers and editors who have lavished such care in creating these books must be applauded. Each one could be a winner, and we look forward to seeing the judges’ final choices in July.”
Longlist 3-6+
Aya Has Never Seen a Bear. Written by Gerelchimeg Blackcrane, translated by Paul Qiao and Helen Mixter, illustrated by Jiu’er (Greystone Kids)
Bear’s Nap Written and illustrated by Emily Gravett (Two Hoots)
Broken. Written and illustrated by X.Fang (Pushkin Press)
Cranky, Crabby Crow ( Saves the World) Written and illustrated by Corey R. Tabor(Greenwillow Books)
Ellie Has a Secret. Written and illustrated by Amelia Bothe (Clarion Books)
Five Little Friends. Written by SeanTaylor and illustrated by Fiona Woodcock (Walker Books)
George and Lenny Are Always Together. Written and illustrated by Jon Agee (Scallywag Press)
If You Make a Call on a Banana Phone. Written by Gideon Sterer and illustrated by Emily Hughes (Clarion Books)
King School. Written and illustrated by Alexis Deacon (Otter-Barry Books)
Monkeypig. Written and illustrated by Huw Aaron (Puffin)
Mo’s Stick. Written and illustrated by Fiona Lumbers (Little Tiger Press)
Oh Dear, Look What I Got. Written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (Walker Books)
Once Upon a Time in the Woods. Written and illustrated by Anthony Browne (Puffin)
Raindrops. Written and illustrated by Robin Boyden (Farshore)
The Lost Robot. Written and illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton (Flying Eye Books)
The Sleeper Train. Written by Mick Jackson and illustrated by Baljinder Kaur (Walker Books)
The Tour at School. Written by Katie Clapham and illustrated by Nadia Shireen (Walker Books)
To Activate Space Portal Lift Here. Written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis (Scallywag Press)
Unexpected Guests. Written and illustrated by Mariajo Illustrajo (Frances Lincoln Childrens Books)
When Tad Kicked Vlad Written by Julian Gogh and illustrated by Ross Collins (Faber)
Longlist 7-10+
Birdlands. Written by Anthony McGowan (Rock the Boat)
Boy Vs Reality. Written by James Fox (Scholastic)
Cabin Head and Tree Head. Written and illustrated by Scott Campbell (DK Flip)
Everything In Between. Written by Shagufta K.Iqbal (Troika Books)
Gloam. Written by Jack Mackay and illustrated by Ben Joel Price (Rock the Boat)
I Am Ray’s Imaginary Friend. Written by Brian Moses and illustrated by Bethan Welby (Scallywag Press)
Korobá The Case of the Missing Kolo. Written and illustrated by Àlàbá Ònájìn (Scallywag Press)
Letters From the Upside. Written by Katya Balen (Bloomsbury)
Minotaur Boy. Written by Shane Hegarty and illustrated by Ruby Fresson (DK Flip)
Nate Yu’s Blast from the Past. Written by Maisie Chan (Piccadilly Press)
Runaways. Written by E.L.Norry (Bloomsbury)
Small Wonder. Written by Ross Montgomery (Walker Books)
The Blitz Sisters. Written by Judith Eagle (Faber)
The Dawn of Adonis. Written by Phil Earle (Andersen Press)
The Experiment. Written by Rebecca Stead (Andersen Press)
The Feathered Book. Written by Charlie Nutbrown (Everything with Words)
The Lions’ Run. Written by Sara Pennypacker (Hodder)
The Monsters at the End of the World. Written by Rebecca Orwin.(Puffin)
The Night I Borrowed Time. Written by Iqbal Hussain (Puffin)
Two is a Crowd. Written by Cath Howe (Nosy Crow)
Longlist 11-14+
A Million Tiny Missiles All at Once. Written by Lucas Maxwell (Chicken House)
Always Angel Written by Kimberly Whittam (Usborne)
Best of all Worlds. Written by Kenneth Oppel (Guppy Books)
Day of Now. Written by Miranda Reason (Bloomsbury)
Dead Straight Line. Written by Malcolm Duffy (Zephyr)
Gone for Good. Written by Sarah Crossan (Simon & Schuster)
My Name is Jodie Jones. Written by Emma Shevah (David Fickling Books)
Not Going to Plan. Written by Tia Fisher (Hot Key Books)
On the Edge. Written by Nicola Garrard (Old Barn Books)
Pearl Beach. Written by Beth Steiner (Pushkin Press)
Phoenix Brothers. Written by Sita Brahmachari (OUP)
Red Star Rebels. Written by Amie Kaufman (Hot Key Books)
Roar. Written by Manjeet Mann (Penguin)
Runaway Road. Written by Sue Divin (First Ink)
Sisters in the Wind. Written by Angeline Boulley (Rock the Boat)
Tadpole Summer. Written by Catherine Bruton (Nosy Crow)
The Danger of Small Things. Written by Caryl Lewis (Simon & Schuster)
The Last Death Poet. Written by Stephen Daly (Rock the Boat )
Thirst. Written by Darren Simpson (Pushkin Press)
Tom Burne has Left the Chat Written by Seán Farrelly (Faber)
Longlist Information Books 3-14+
A Natural History of Bums. Written by The Crab Museum and illustrated by Inga Ziemele (Wide Eyed Editions)
A River Running Through You. Written by Amy-Jane Beer and illustrated by Elin Manon (Magic Cat Publishing)
Bust or Trust – A Kid’s Mystery Book. Written by Small Wardour and illustrated by Sam Peet (Words & Pictures)
Dance of Resistance. Written by Catherine Johnstone and illustrated by Katie Hickey (Barrington Stoke)
Dangerous Animals Survival Guide. Written by Sam Hume.(Collins)
Flush it Down: The Story of Sewers Through Time. Written by Rob Flowers (Cicada)
Let’s Explore Pigeons. Written and illustrated by Siski Kalla (Catch a Leaf Publishing)
Making It Up as You Go Along Written by Patricia Forde and illustrated by Mary Murphy (Little Island)
Mixed: Explore and Celebrate Your Mixed Identity Written by Emma Slade Edmondson (Rocket Fox)
Quantum! The Strange Science of the Smallest Stuff in the Universe. Written by Christopher Edge and illustrated by Paul Daviz (Walker Books)
Scream If You Wanna Go Faster: The History and Science of Amusement Parks Written by Peter Morris and illustrated by Roozeboos (Cicada)
Shoes! A Footwear Fashion Frolic Written by Anna Davies and illustrated byDaisy Wynter (Cicada)
Start Small, Think Big: Small Shiny Dung Beetle. Written by Mary Auld and illustrated by Hannah Bailey (Mama Makes Books)
The Cave Explorer. Written and illustrated by Kate Winter (Puffin)
The History of We. Written and illustrated by Nikkolas Smith (Rock the Boat)
The Shipwreck Atlas Written by Jo Arnold and illustrated by Philip Harris (Wide Eyed Editions)
The Story of Portraits. Written by Mick Manning and illustrated by Brita Granström (Franklin Watts)
The Week Junior Guide to Politics. Written by Catherine Brereton (Bloomsbury Education)
Whale Song. Written by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Britta Teckentrup (Walker Books)
Your Planet Needs You. Written by Elizabeth Laird and Will McDowall and illustrated by Paul Boston (Walker Books)