The prestigious Oscar’s Book Prize has unveiled its shortlist for 2025, spotlighting a diverse selection of children’s picture books aimed at young readers. This annual award, which offers a £10,000 prize, recognizes exceptional authors and illustrators from various regions in the UK.

Celebrating Talent Across the UK

This year’s shortlist highlights creativity from locales as far apart as Cornwall in the southwest to North Yorkshire in the northeast. With six titles nominated, the selection reflects a vibrant array of themes and artistic expressions aimed at capturing the imaginations of young children.

Meet the Shortlisted Works

The Oscar’s Book Prize shortlist for 2025 features the following titles:

• All You Need to Know About Dogs by Fred Blunt (Happy Yak) – Wales
• Gina Kaminski Rescues the Giant by Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin (Little Tiger) – Truro and Brierfield
• Hank Goes Honk by Maudie Powell-Tuck and Duncan Beedie (Little Tiger) – London and Bristol
• Just the Two of Us by Polly Noakes (Andersen Press) – Yorkshire
• Terrible Horses by Raymond Antrobus and Ken Wilson-Max (Walker) – London and Kent
• There’s a Tiger on the Train by Mariesa Dulak and Rebecca Cobb (Faber) – London and Cornwall

This year’s lineup includes a delightful mix of characters, such as dogs, tigers, and horses, and ventures into themes like temptation, autism, and spirituality.

Judging Panel and Award Ceremony

The award ceremony is set to take place in London on May 6, where the winning title will be announced. The panel of judges this year includes well-known figures such as Ben Cajee, a presenter for CBeebies, alongside bestselling author Smriti Halls and seasoned journalist and reviewer Imogen Russell Williams.