Congratulations to all the authors and illustrators shortlisted for this year’s Spark! School Book Awards. Now in their third year, the Spark! School Book Awards were set up to introduce young readers to new authors, encourage them to read more widely and help primary schools create a buzz around reading.

Panels of teachers and educationalists choose the shortlists for each of the four categories, looking for lively texts that reflect the diversity of school communities and that will ‘spark’ a response in young readers.  The ultimate winners are chosen by the pupils in participating schools around the country. Find out more about the award, the resources provided to support it and how to get involved here.

Good luck to all the young judges! They have a tough – but exciting –  job ahead of them!

 

Picture Fiction for Early Readers Shortlist

Don’t Ask the Dragon by Lemn Sissay, illustrated by Greg Stobbs  (Canongate Books)

Why, Oh Why, Am I a Crocodile by Alex Brooks, illustrated by Hannah Worsley (Neilson)

The Drama Llama by Rachel Morrisroe, illustrated by Ella Okstad (Puffin)

The Night Flower by Lara Hawthorne (Big Picture Press)

 

Fiction for 7+ Shortlist

Future Hero: Race to Fire Mountain by Remi Blackwood  (Scholastic)

Tuchus & Topps Investigate: The Underpants of Chaos by Sam Copeland and Jenny Pearson (Puffin)

Einstein the Penguin by Iona Rangeley, illustrated by hDavid Tazzyman (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

Rumaysa: Ever After by Radiya Hafiza, illustrated by Rhaida El Touny (Macmillan Children’s Books)

 

Fiction for 9+ Shortlist

How To Be More Hedgehog by Anne-Marie Conway (UCLan Publishing)

Mia and the Lightcasters by Janelle McCurdy, illustrated by Ana Latese (Faber & Faber)

The Rollercoaster Boy by Lisa Thompson (Scholastic)

My Friend the Octopus by Lindsay Galvin (Chicken House)

 

Guest Category: Poetry Shortlist

Let’s Chase Stars Together: Poems to Lose Yourself In by Matt Goodfellow (Bloomsbury Education)

John Agard’s Windrush Child by John Agard, illustrated by Sophie Bass (Walker Books)

Smile Out Loud: 25 Happy Poems by Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Daniel Gray-Barnett (Wide Eyed Editions)

Things That Should Be in a Poem by Coral Rumble, illustrated by Shih-Yu Lin (Troika Books)

The winning books will be announced at an award ceremony in June 2023 – watch out for our winner announcement!