The Week Junior Book Awards 2025 winners revealed

We were delighted to partner with The Week Junior Book Awards this year and see the winners be announced at a ceremony held at London’s County Hall. 

Hosted by Bex Lindsay, children’s books by established and emerging authors and illustrators were crowned across 14 categories, including audiobook, cover of the year, breakthrough book and more.

Author Sophie Dahl, CBeebies’ George Webster, presenter and actor Rhys Stephenson, and lexicographer Susie Dent are among the judges who selected the winning titles. The Week Junior’s readers voted for the winners of the Children’s Choice and Cover of the Year Awards categories.

Editorial Director of The Week Junior, Anna Bassi commented: “Inspiring, informative and entirely original, our fourteen award winners represent the very best in children’s literature. These extraordinary books showcase the breadth and depth of what’s possible, exploring important real-life issues, explaining complex topics, making learning fun and taking young readers on unforgettable adventures. Congratulations to all the authors, illustrators, editors, designers and publishers who have brought them into being and on to bookshelves!”

Clare Harlow’s gripping magical tale, Tidemagic: The Many Faces of Ista Fit, took home the Breakthrough Book award. Another rising star, Eilish Fisher, saw her extraordinary debut win in the Poetry category for Fia and the Last Snow Deer, a snowy tale set in pre-historic Ireland with illustrations by Dermot Flynn.

Fast-paced fantasy adventure, Dungeon Runners: Hero Trial by Kieran Larwood triumphed in the Younger Fiction category, while Watts & Whiskerton: Buried Bones and Troublesome Treasure – the first book in a new mystery series by Meg McLaren – is highly commended in the same category.

In Older Fiction, Tom Percival’s The Wrong Shoes was honoured for its engaging and accessible exploration of child poverty. Based on the author’s own experiences, the novel highlights how children’s literature can be a powerful tool to explore serious topics, helping young people understand others and make sense of the world.

Molly Forbes’s Every Body which broaches the important topic of respecting and celebrating all body types won in the Wellbeing category presented by charity partners Place2Be.

Matt Ralphs and Kaley McKeans’ immersive underwater exploration, Beasts from the Deep, took home the award for the Animals and Nature category and Ben Martynoga’s Solutions-focused book Explodapedia: Rewild won the award for best Factual book.

Greg Jenner and Emma Southon’s wacky, engaging and educational Totally Chaotic History: Roman Britain Gets Rowdy triumphed in the Audiobook category while Nadia Shireen’s Grimwood: Party Animals! was highly commended. In the Graphic Novel category, Dave Roman’s surprising and completely unique Unicorn Boy took home the top prize.

Catherine Cawthorne’s myth-busting book Big Bad Wolf Investigates: Fairy Tales took the STEM book trophy for its hilarious and educational combination of science and stories. This Book Will Make You an Artist was crowned the best children’s book in Hobbies & Interests, whilst Mariesa Dulak’s There’s A Tiger on the Train with charming illustrations by Rebecca Cobb won best Picture Book.

With thousands of votes cast, the awards for best Cover and Children’s Choice were decided by readers of The Week Junior, hailing Guinness World Records 2025 and Happy Days: 365 Facts to Brighten Every Day of the Year as the most voted in each category.