Wainwright Prize

Resource type: Book awards

Price band: Free

Key stage: KS1, KS2, KS3, KS4, KS5, Adult

Region(s): All of UK

The Wainwright Prize was set up to showcase the best writing about nature and conservation in the UK.

The annual award covers both fiction and non-fiction titles that celebrate nature, warn about the dangers facing the environment around the world and inspire readers to engage with the natural world.

There are three prize categories:

Nature Writing
Writing on Conservation
Children’s Writing on Nature and Conservation

The shortlist and winner for each category is chosen by a panel of expert judges made up of authors, booksellers, TV presenters and environmentalists.

Read our shortlist and winner announcements for the 2024 award.

Timetable:

The shortlists are announced in August.
The winners are announced in September.

Cost: Free.

About the Wainwright Prize: The Wainwright Prize was established in 2013 and is named after Alfred Wainwright, author of the iconic Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells.

Further resources:

Find past winners and shortlisted titles for the Wainwright Prize here.
Ensure your pupils can keep up to date with environmental issues by taking out a school subscription to a junior newspaper or nature magazine. Find a selection here.
Topical Talk provides free resources to encourage and stimulate discussion about current affairs and the news for KS2 pupils. Find a selection of their climate-related resources here.
The Climate Fiction Writers League is a group of writers from around the world whose work aims to raise awareness of climate change. Their books include pictures books, middle grade and young adult fiction. You can find them here.
Find further resources to help celebrate the natural world under the World Environment Day and Earth Day entries in the Literacy Year calendar.
For a full list of children’s book awards, click here.