Launched in 1971 as the Whitbread Literary Awards, with Costa taking over in 2006. Uniquely, the prize has 5 categories - First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children's Book - with one of the winning books selected as the overall Costa Book of the Year. It is the only prize which places children’s books alongside adult books in this way.

Winner: The Skylark’s War by Hilary McKay (Macmillan. ISBN: 978-1509894963; £6.99),
Described by judges as ‘the perfect novel’ this is a wonderful story set in WW2 Suitable for 10+

Watch out for the next shortlists announced in the Autumn

Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize in its 15th year. Chosen by booksellers for a a ‘brilliant emerging voice in children’s writing’ in three categories Younger Fiction and Overall Winner The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q Raúf.( Orion. ISBN: 978-1510105010) a moving, timely story about understanding and showing kindness to those around us.

Illustrated Books Winner The Girls Lauren Ace and Jenny Løvlie ( Caterpillar Books. ISBN: 978-1848578432) a beautiful story of fun and friendship, celebrating individuality on the path to growing up.

Older Fiction Winner Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi ( Macmillan. ISBN: 978-1509871353) Blending West African mythology with original world-building, it is an action-packed novel of courage and identity, told with thrilling urgency.

The YA Book Prize launched in 2014. The shortlist is selected by a team at The Bookseller and the winner is selected by a panel of expert and teenage judges, who are asked to pick the book they believe is the best-written and that they would be most likely to share with young adults. The prize celebrates great books for teenagers and young adults and aims to get more teens reading and buying books.

Winner: Goodbye Perfect by Sara Barnard. (Macmillan. ISBN: 978-1509852864) An intense and gripping novel about the complex dynamics of teenage friendship. Told with a real ear for authentic teenage voices and sensitively dealing with themes of coercion and grooming as Bonnie's expectations to succeed pushed her into an inappropriate teacher pupil relationship.

Discussion Notes on each title and author Q& A can be found here

The Children’s Book Award is the only national award voted for solely by children from start to finish. Over 1,000 new books are submitted to be read and reviewed by local Testing Groups across the country. When the shortlists are announced voting opens on the website with over 150,000 total votes being cast in the process. There are three age categories and an Overall Winner

Winners: Younger Children and Overall Winner: Mixed. By Arree Chung. (Macmillan. ISBN 978-1509871346)

Younger Readers: The Dog Who Lost His Bark by Eoin Colfer and illustrated by P. J. Lynch (Walker Books. ISBN 978-1406377576)

Older Readers: Armistice Runner by Tom Palmer (Barrington Stoke.ISBN 978-1781128251)

Website: http://childrensbookaward.org.uk

The CILIP Carnegie Medal is the UK's oldest (83 years!) and most prestigious children's book award. Awarded by children's librarians for an outstanding book written in English for children and young people.

Winner: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. (Electric Monkey. ISBN: 978-1405291460) A searing, unflinching exploration of culture, family and faith within a truly innovative verse structure

The CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal was established in 1955, for distinguished illustration in a book for children. Awarded by librarians annually, the Medal is the only prize in the UK to solely reward outstanding illustration in a children's book

Winner: The Lost WordsIllustrated by Jackie Morris written by Robert Macfarlane. Hamish Hamilton, ISBN: 978-0241253588 All over the country, there are words disappearing from children's lives. The Lost Words is a joyful celebration of nature words and the natural world they invoke. With acrostic spell-poems and hand-painted illustration this is an astonishing book

The Shadowing Scheme which started in the early 1990’s is a fantastic opportunity for schools to build a reading culture. Registered schools get discounted shortlist sets, posters and bookmarks and free resources including Discussion Points by Daniel Hahn, Visual Literacy notes by Prue Goodwin, Teaching Sequences by English Media Centre and Centre for Literacy in Primary Education and Author and Illustrator videos and interviews are available for every book here.

2019 saw the first ever public announcement of The Shadower’s Choice Award voted for and awarded by members of the 4,500 school reading groups who shadow the around the UK and internationally. Uniquely the Shadowers’ also chose the same two winners!

Last but not least the only national book awards judged by teachers! United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA) Book Awards now in 11th year All three age categories demonstrate the fresh perspective that teachers can bring to the judging process in their search for books which can “enhance all aspects of literacy learning”. This makes them particularly useful with the unique guarantee from teachers that these are books which have been tried and tested in the classroom.

Winner 12 to 16+ category: Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds illustrated by Chris Priestley (Faber& Faber. ISBN: 978-0571335121) a book that has “reached boys who never read.” “A book that can save lives.”

Highly Commended in the 12-16+ category: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. (Electric Monkey. ISBN: 978-1405291460) “Themes that are really relevant and applicable to all young people”

Winner 7-11 category: The Explorer written by Katherine Rundell and illustrated by Hannah Horn. (Bloomsbury. ISBN: 978-1408882191) A book which “shows rather than tells.”

Highly Commended in the 7-11 category: Running on Empty written by S.E.Durrant (Nosy Crow. ISBN: 978-0857637406) “An important empathetic read.”

Winner 3 to 6 category: I am Bat by Morag Hood. (Two Hoots. ISBN: 978-1509834624) a book which “comes alive when read aloud and shared”. Enjoyed from Foundation to Year 6 and beyond!

Highly Commended in the 3-6 category: After the Fall by Dan Santat. ( Andersen Press. ISBN: 978-1783446353) “Inspires inference and empathy” with an “important message of resilience and determination.”