The winners of the 2024 English 4-11 Picture Book Awards were announced last week. Established in 1995, the awards are presented by the English Association to the best children’s picture books of the year.

There are four award categories:

• Fiction aged 4-7
• Non-Fiction aged 4-7
• Fiction aged 7-11
• Non-Fiction aged 7-11

In addition, one of the books submitted is chosen as the recipient of the Margaret Mallett Award for Children’s Non-Fiction, a prize set up in 2017 to honour former primary teacher, Fellow of the English Association, book reviewer and passionate children’s book advocate Margaret Mallett.

This year’s winners were chosen by the editorial board of English 4-11  – the journal for primary teachers published jointly by the English Association and the UKLA – from a shortlist selected by a panel of teachers and primary specialists.

Congratulations to all the winning authors and illustrators!

Fiction 4-7 Winner

Holey Moley by Bethan Clarke, illustrated by Anders Frang (Little Tiger)

Also shortlisted:

The Artist by Ed Vere (Puffin)

One Little Word by Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Alison Colpoys (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books)

My Dad is a Tree by Jon Agee (Scallywag Press)

Non-Fiction 4-7 Winner

 LIFESIZE: Deadly Animals by Sophy Henn (Red Shed)

Also shortlisted:

The Secret Elephant by Ellan Rankin (Wren & Rook)

Saving H’Non – Chang and the Elephant by Trang Nguyen, illustrated by Jeet Zdung (Macmillan Children’s Books)

My First Space Atlas by Jane Wilsher, illustrated by Paul Daviz (Weldon Owen Children’s Books)

Fiction 7-11 Winner

The Panda’s Child by Jackie Morris, illustrated by Cathy Fisher (Otter-Barry Books)

Also shortlisted:

Luna and the Treasure of Tlaloc by Joe Todd-Stanton (Flying Eye Books)

Tourmaline by David Calì, illustrated by Fatinha Ramos (Tate Publishing)

The Grand Hotel of Feelings by Lidia Brankovic (Cicada Books)

Ten Word Tiny Tales by Joseph Coelho and friends (Walker Books)

Non-Fiction 7-11 Winner

Brilliant Black British History by Atinuke, illustrated by Kingsley Nebechi (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

Also shortlisted:

How to Chat Chicken by Nick Crumpton, illustrated by Adrienne Barman (What on Earth Books)

Weird Sea: Zombie Starfish, Underwater Aliens and Other Strange Tales of the Ocean by Sophie Burrows (Puffin)

Britannica’s Encyclopedia Infographica by Andrew Pettie, Conrad Quilty-Harper and Valentina D’Efilippo (Brittanica Books)

 Margaret Mallet Award Winner

Saving H’Non – Chang and the Elephant by Trang Nguyen and Jeet Zdung (Macmillan Children’s Books)

For more children’s book awards, click here.