Waterstones has announced the shortlists for its prestigious Children’s Book Prize.

Since 2005, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize has highlighted the best new talent in children’s writing and illustration, celebrating books that present topics young people are passionate about in innovative and extraordinary ways.

There are three prize categories – Illustrated Books, Younger Readers and Older Readers. Each shortlist consists of six titles chosen by Waterstones booksellers.

Congratulations to all this year’s shortlisted authors and illustrators!

Illustrated Books

Grandad’s Camper by Harry Woodgate (Andersen Press)

The Viking Who Liked Icing by Lu Fraser and Mark McKinley (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

Wolfboy by Andy Harkness (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

Alone! by Barry Falls (Pavilion Children’s)

The Duck Who Didn’t Like Water by Steve Small (Simon & Schuster Children’s Books)

Out to Sea by Helen Kellock (Thames & Hudson)

Younger Readers

Children of the Quicksands by Efua Traore (Chicken House Books)

Amari and the Night Brothers by BB Alston (Far Shore)

The Last Bear by Hannah Gold, illustrated by Levi Pinfold (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

Bumble and Snug and the Angry Pirates by Mark Bradley (Hodder Children’s Books)

Front Desk by Kelly Yang (Knights Of)

Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow by Benjamin Dean, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat (Simon & Schuster Children’s Books)

Older Readers

Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth (Andersen Press)

The Crossing by Manjeet Mann (Penguin Random House)

The Upper World by Femi Fadugba (Penguin Random House)

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (Rock the Boat)

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna (Usborne Publishing)

Not Here to Be Liked by Michelle Quach  (Usborne Publishing)

The winner of each category will be announced on 31st March 2022. From these three category winners, one book will go on to be crowned the Waterstones Children’s Book of the Year.  Look out for our winner announcement.