Oscar's Book Prize 2025
The submission period for the 2025 prize – our twelfth year – is now closed.
This year’s submission period was open between Monday 2nd December 2024 and Friday 17th January 2025.
Many thanks to all of the publishers who have entered: and very best of luck to all of the brilliantly talented authors and illustrators who have created such wonderful books! As ever, we’re truly humbled and inspired by the quality of the books we receive.
Our judges will now be busy reading - please check back for updates on our News page later in the year!
The next prize will open in the autumn of 2025. In case you would like to check if you’re eligible for 2026, you can find full Terms and Conditions of entry from this year at the bottom of this page.
We can’t wait to see what #OBP2025 brings! We are so proud to champion these books, as well as the pleasure of reading them together.
Thank you so much for supporting the prize!
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Oscar’s Book Prize 2025
1. Deadline
• The prize will accept submissions from 9am BST Monday 2nd December 2024. The closing date for the receipt of submissions from publishers is 5pm BST, Friday 17th January 2025.
2. Rules of Eligibility
• Publishers may enter up to FIVE books per bona fide imprint. Collections and anthologies are not eligible.
• Books must be suitable for young children, either to be enjoyed with an adult reading to them or as an emerging reader. Books should be illustrated, and primarily target preschool-aged children but can be suitable up to KS1.
• Books must be first published in the UK between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024. Previously published books are not eligible.
• Books must be published by an established publishing house in the UK. ‘Established’ means a house that publishes a list of titles by a range of authors and distributes its books nationally through recognised high street booksellers and online retailers. Self-published books and e-books (when there is no physical edition) are not eligible.
• Books must be written in English; translations are not eligible.
• Books that are published or submitted posthumously are not eligible.
• Authors and illustrators must be of British nationality, or other nationals resident in the UK at time of entering. It is the responsibility of the publisher to ascertain this information before entering a book.
• Authors and illustrators (and their immediate families) must not be employees of Oscar’s Book Prize, Amazon, or other affiliated partner organisations.
• While books of all genres and for all ages within the above age bracket are eligible, please note that the Prize is seeking the best story and this should therefore be central to the book
• Oscar’s Book Prize’s decision on eligibility is final.
3. Publisher Requirements
• Publishers must ensure that they have obtained the authors’ and illustrators’ consent prior to entry.
• Publishers must complete an entry form for each book submitted, which can be found and submitted directly here or requested via email, completed and returned: laura@oscarsbookprize.co.uk / robyn@oscarsbookprize.co.uk
• Publishers must also send a digital edition (e.g. a watermarked PDF) of each submitted book to laura@oscarsbookprize.co.uk / robyn@oscarsbookprize.co.uk. This is strictly for use during the longlisting process and will not be shared in any form beyond the longlist panel.
• Our longlist will be selected in February 2025. At that stage we will contact the relevant publishers and request 10 physical copies of each entered book. Details will follow nearer the time. We do not make the longlist public.
• Books MUST arrive by the given longlist deadline and must be finished editions (not galleys or proofs).
• Longlisted entries will not be returned. Oscar’s Book Prize will donate all books supplied as part of the competition that are not shortlisted to the charity Read for Good, or as it sees fit.
• Publishers must ensure that the shortlisted authors and illustrators are willing and able participate in publicity for the competition, including media interviews, providing material to use on the Prize’s social media and website, and attendance at the winner announcement in the event of a ceremony. The winner announcement will take place on 6th May 2025, and will be held either digitally or physically.
• Bios and high res author and/or illustrator photos must also be supplied to Oscar’s Book Prize within 7 days of notification that their title has been shortlisted.
• If requested, shortlisted and winning publishers will be provided with the digital files of the prize logo to use as a sticker image (whether as a printed sticker or incorporated onto the jacket artwork) on their shortlisted/winning title/s. All shortlisted/winner sticker artwork needs to be signed off by Oscar’s Book Prize to ensure it is compliant and appropriate. Please email designs to laura@oscarsbookprize.co.uk / robyn@oscarsbookprize.co.uk
• Shortlisted publishers will be asked to supply 10 further physical copies of their books for promotional use (deadline and delivery address to follow). These must arrive within 7 days of being notified. If your title is in low stock, please notify us at longlist stage.
• Publishers MUST grant permission/be prepared to clear Rights for Oscar’s Book Prize to potentially create a ‘Jackanory’ style reading of their book should it win, which would be shared on social media and on the prize website.
4. Judging
• The longlist will be judged privately in early 2025 by a panel with a range of experience with EYFS children and/or the literary world. Their choices go on to the shortlist judging panel.
• The shortlist judging panel will be announced in early 2025. They will select a shortlist of at least five books, and from this shortlist, one winning title. The shortlist will be announced in April 2025 and the winner on 6th May 2025.
• The winning book will be awarded prize money totalling £10,000.
• The author and illustrator of each shortlisted book will be given equal credit. In the event that a book with a separate author and illustrator wins, the prize money will be shared equally between the author and illustrator.
• All judges will be looking for the best pre-school book of the year that celebrates a child’s love for magical stories. The award’s definition of ‘magical stories’ includes but is not limited to: ‘captivating books that fire the imagination and give a wonderful shared reading experience through the mutual storytelling of words and pictures’.
• While the Prize seeks pre-school books, these books can appeal to children in primary school up to the end of KS1.
• The judges’ decision is final.
• No correspondence will be entered into.