Celebrating the brilliant world of children’s books and the talented people who create them, The Week Junior Book Awards honour the authors, illustrators and publishers who inspire children to read for pleasure.
The emphasis is on original ideas, outstanding illustration and smart storytelling, as well as new and diverse talent.
Jamie Oliver, Susie Dent, Julia Donaldson, Adam Rutherford, and Philippa Forrester are among the authors of the 74 books shortlisted in The Week Junior 2024 Book Awards announced today in collaboration with The Bookseller, and partners WHSmith, World Book Day, and LoveReading4Kids.
Launched in 2023, The Week Junior Book Awards were created to celebrate children's books and honour creative excellence within the industry. The shortlisted books will be shared directly with the award-winning news magazine’s eight to 14-year-old readers and their families via a 12-week promotional campaign. Retail partner WHSmith is offering the magazine’s readers a voucher for 20% off all Children’s Books (excluding education) instore and online.
The award is split into 13 book categories, which include six new categories this year, launched in response to feedback from publishers and reflecting the interests of The Week Junior’s readers. These are: Animals and Nature; Graphic Novel; Hobbies and Interests; Picture Book; Poetry, and Wellbeing. They join the other categories: Audiobook; Breakthrough Book; Cover of the Year; Fiction Older; Fiction Younger; Non-Fiction, and STEM (in partnership with The Week Junior Science+Nature magazine).
The shortlisted books were selected from more than 370 entries with the help of an expert committee representing booksellers, librarians, literacy charities, children’s book reviewers and primary school teachers. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in London on 30 September.
Readers of The Week Junior will have the chance to vote for Book Cover of the Year and the Children's Choice Award – the overall winner of the shortlist in all categories. Alongside them, the prestigious judging panel includes CBBC Newsround presenter Ricky Boleto; Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho; author and Place2Be ambassador Sophie Dahl; children’s TV presenter and author Jess French; Comics Laureate Bobby Joseph, and award-winning author SF Said, who was the winner of the Older Fiction award in 2023.
Anna Bassi, editorial director of The Week Junior, says, "The 74 books on our shortlist represent an incredible range of authors, illustrators, designers, stories and subjects – testament to the endless creativity and innovation in children’s publishing. Our judges are in for some excellent reading over the next couple of months. I’m really excited to find out which of the books readers of The Week Junior elect to win our Children’s Choice trophy – this is their chance to vote and I hope they’ll use it."
Philip Jones, editor of The Bookseller, comments, "In its second year, The Week Junior Book Awards already feels firmly established; and these shortlists have everything we need them to have, showcasing the breadth, creativity, colourfulness, and the sheer power of story-telling and fact-weaving that we know children's writers and illustrators are always capable of."
To learn more about the award and browse the shortlists in full, visit: www.theweekjuniorbookawards.co.uk/2024/home