Information Book Award 2026 – Winners Announced!
3 July, 2026
The School Library Association announced the winners of the 2026 Information Book Award at a ceremony held at the London offices of publisher and award sponsor Dorling Kindersley on Thursday 2 July.
Founded in 2011, the award highlights the important role of non-fiction as part of young people’s reading experience and celebrates the high standard of information books for young people. There are three award categories: Under 7, Age 8–12 and Age 13–16.
A panel of judges made up of authors, school librarians and children’s book experts selected winners for each of the three award categories from a shortlist of 12 titles. From these, an Overall Winner was chosen. However, young people across the UK also had the opportunity to have their say by voting in the Children’s Choice Award.
For their Overall Winner, the adult judges chose Owning It: Our disabled childhoods in our own words edited by Jen Campbell, James Catchpole and Lucy Catchpole, illustrated by Sophie Kamlish (Faber & Faber). The judges described Owning It as perfectly encapsulating how books can be both a window and mirror: ‘For those who can relate, this book is a much-needed reflection, shining a light on experience that is largely unseen; for those who can’t, it provides much-needed insight.
With humour, heart and striking illustrations by Sophie Kamlish, these inspiring stories will illuminate, bring comfort and boost empathy. From blatant to inadvertent othering, to coming to terms with a disabled ‘identity’ and finding community, this book is honest about pain, fear and heartache. Crucially though, as the title suggests, Owning It offers hope, connection and shows how it is possible to take control of one’s life whatever the challenge: a vital message for every teenager.’
This year over 1100 pupils took part in the Information Book Award Book Club to vote in the Children’s Choice Award. For their Overall Winner, the young judges chose Choose Your Own Evolution by Jules Howard, illustrated by Gordy Wright (Nosy Crow). This inventive, interactive adventure blends solid science with an engaging, game-like structure to turn readers into active participants in the story of evolution. As the winner of the Age 8–12 category for both sets of judges, it was the only title from this year’s shortlist where adult and young judges agreed.
Commenting on this year’s award, Chair of the judges, Helen Cleaves said: ‘At a time when we are so quick to outsource thinking, knowledge and expertise, it is books like this year’s Information Book Award winners that will ignite curiosity, fuse connections and build empathy; the vital front-line defence for maintaining progress and the fundamentals that make us human.’
Victoria Dilly, CEO of the School Library Association, said: ‘This year’s Information Book Award continues to celebrate the incredible creativity of children’s publishing, as evidenced by our brilliant shortlist and deserved winners – titles which capture the artistry and high quality the best of information books can bring. I congratulate everyone involved with their production.
Each book offers a route to discovering more about the world and the amazing people and animals who live in it, their cultures and history. From feminism to frogs, from encounters with grief to evolution – the 2026 shortlist covers everything about the human experience and more.’
Judges’ Choice Category Winners
Under 7: Recycling Day: What Happens to the Things We Throw Away by Polly Faber, illustrated by Klas Fahlén (Nosy Crow)
Age 8–12: Choose Your Own Evolution by Jules Howard, illustrated by Gordy Wright (Nosy Crow)
Age 13–16: Owning It: Our disabled childhoods in our own words edited by Jen Campbell, James Catchpole and Lucy Catchpole, illustrated by Sophie Kamlish (Faber & Faber)
Children’s Choice Category Winners
Under 7: Frog: A Story of Life on Earth by Isabel Thomas, illustrated by Daniel Egnéus (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
Age 8–12: Choose Your Own Evolution by Jules Howard, illustrated by Gordy Wright (Nosy Crow)
Age 13–16: It’s a Brave Young World by Anu Adebogun, illustrated by Soofiya and Lila Cruz (Little Tiger)
Find out more about the IBA Book Club and how your pupils can get involved with the Children’s Choice Award next year.
