Congratulations to all the authors and illustrators shortlisted for this year’s Spark! School Book Awards.

Launched in 2020, the Spark! School Book Awards were set up to introduce young readers to new authors, encourage them to read more widely and help primary and secondary schools create a buzz around reading.

There are five award categories: four age categories that cover pupils in Early Years through to KS3 and a guest category. This year – back by popular demand – the guest category is Information Books for 6-12 year-olds.

Panels of teachers and educationalists choose the five shortlists, looking for well-crafted texts that reflect the diversity of school communities and that will ‘spark’ a response in young readers. The ultimate winners, however, are chosen by the pupils in participating schools around the country.

Schools that would like to take part in this year’s award have until 31st January to register. You can find out more about the award and the resources provided to support it here.

‘We have been taking part in the Spark Book Award for four years now – the children now look forward to it each year and are eager to know which books have been chosen for them to read. It has encouraged more apathetic readers and introduced them to texts they may not have otherwise come across as well as spreading the joy of reading for pleasure across our school.’ Sarah Winser, Reading Lead, Howard Primary School, Croydon.

‘Ever heard your students chatting about the newest craze and wishing it could be about books instead? Spark! can do that for you. Chatting together about the books we’d all read created this community of passionate readers across the school like nothing else I’ve ever seen.’ Elliot Armitage, Reading Lead, Bromham Primary School, Bedford.

Picture Fiction for Early Readers

Once I was a Tree by Eoin McLaughlin, illustrated by Guilherme Karsten (Nosy Crow)

Super Nani and Captain Yaz by Saira Shah, illustrated by Maria Gabriela Gama (Templar Books)

The Camel Who Had the Hump by Rachel Bright, illustrated by Jim Field (Orchard Books)

These are My Rocks by Bethan Woollvin (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books)

Fiction for 7+

Grumpfort by Jamie Hammond (Usborne Publishing)

Marty Moose: First Class Mischief by Claire Powell (Walker Books)

Solving Crimes Is NOT My Superpower by Nathanael Lessore, illustrated by Simran Diamond Singh (Little Tiger)

Wild Magic: Legend Of The Black Lion by Abiola Bello, illustrated by Emma McCann (Simon and Schuster Children’s)

Fiction for 9+

Running My Own Race by Abena Eyeson (Nosy Crow)

Shrapnel Boys by Jenny Pearson (Usborne Publishing)

Small Wonder by Ross Montgomery (Walker Books)

WOOD: Taller, Older, Wiser by Tanya Turner, iIlustruted by Blanka Szonda (Troubador Publishing)

Fiction for 11+

I Dare You by Tamsin Winter (Usborne Publishing)

Nettle by Bex Hogan (Zephyr)

The Uninvited by Ross MacKenzie (Andersen Press)

Thirst by Darren Simpson (Pushkin Children’s Books)

Information Books 6-12

Choose Your Own Evolution by Jules Howard, illustrated by Gordy Wright (Nosy Crow)

Pets Tell Tales: Ancient Egypt by Rik Worth, illustrated by Jordan Collver (Wren & Rook)

The Great Pollination Investigation by Deborah Hocking (Templar Books)

The History of We by Nikkolas Smith (Rock the Boat)

The winning books will be announced at an online award ceremony in June 2026 – watch out for our winner announcement!