Congratulations to all the authors and illustrators shortlisted for the newly expanded Laugh Out Loud Book Awards (Lollies) 2023!

Launched in 2016, the Lollies celebrate the best and funniest children’s books published in the UK and Ireland. This year’s Lollies include four new award categories, bringing the total number of categories to seven and ensuring that there is something to tickle the fancy of every young reader from pre-school to KS3.

The shortlists have been chosen by a panel of writers, illustrators, teachers and book experts chaired by Michael Rosen, who has been the Lollies Head Judge since the awards were created. The winners, however, will be chosen by tens of thousands of young readers across the country. They have until 12th May 2023 to read, discuss and vote for their favourite titles. To ensure that your pupils’ votes will be counted register for a free account on the Lollies website.

Lollies Picture Book Shortlist 2023

Ten Delicious Teachers by Ross Montgomery, illustrated by Sarah Warburton (Walker Books)

Agent Llama by Angela Woolfe, illustrated by Duncan Beedie (Little Tiger Press)

The King’s Birthday Suit by Peter Bently, illustrated by Claire Powell (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

Wee? It Wasn’t Me! by Clare Helen Welsh, illustrated by Nicola O’Byrne (Macmillan Children’s Books)

 

Lollies  6-8 Shortlist 2023

Grimwood by Nadia Shireen (Simon & Schuster Children’s UK)

Genie and Teeny Make a Wish by Steven Lenton (Harper Collins Children’s Books)

A Monster Ate My Packed Lunch by Pamela Butchart, illustrated by Thomas Flintham (Nosy Crow)

The Worst Class in the World Gets Worse by Joanna Nadin, illustrated by Rikin Parekh (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

 

Lollies 9-12 Shortlist 2023

The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh by Helen Rutter (Scholastic)

The Amazing Edie Eckhart by Rosie Jones, illustrated by Natalie Smillie (Holder Children’s Books)

A Dinosaur Ate My Sister by Pooja Puri, illustrated by Allen Fatimaharan (Macmillan Children’s Books)

Freddy vs School by Neill Cameron (David Fickling Books)

 

Lollies Teen Shortlist 2023

You’re the One That I Want by Simon James Green (Scholastic)

The Summer We Turned Green by William Sutcliffe (Bloomsbury YA)

Hexed by Julia Tuffs (Orion Children’s Books)

Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth (Andersen Press)

 

Lollies Poetry Shortlist 2023

Daydreams and Jellybeans by Alex Wharton, illustrated by Katy Riddell (Firefly Press)

Midnight Magic: Mirror Mischief by Michelle Harrison, illustrated by Elissa Elwick (Stripes Publishing)

Yapping Away by Joshua Seigal (Bloomsbury Education)

This is Not a Unicorn by Barry Timms, illustrated by Ged Adamson (Nosy Crow)

 

Lollies Non-Fiction Shortlist 2023

Unleash Your Creative Monster: A Children’s Guide to Writing by Andy Jones, illustrated by Olaf Falafel (Walker Books)

A Day in the Life of a Caveman, a Queen and Everything In Between by Mike Barfield and Jess Bradley (Buster Books)

So You Think You’ve Got It Bad? A Kid’s Life in the Aztec Age by Chae Strathie, illustrated by Marisa Morea (British Museum/Nosy Crow)

Corpse Talk: Dead Good Storytellers by Adam and Lisa Murphy (David Fickling Books)

Lollies Illustrator of the Year 2023

Liz Pichon

Dapo Adeola

Steven Lenton

Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet

The winners will be revealed in the summer – look out for our winner announcement!