New publishing talent from across the UK has been recognised in the 12th annual shortlist for Oscar’s Book Prize.
The £10,000 award for the best picture book for young children this year spotlights authors and illustrators based from Cornwall to North Yorkshire.
The prize, which is supported by Amazon and the London Standard, also includes a strong showing for London creators on its six-strong shortlist. The titles chosen feature a full-colour menagerie of characters, including tigers and horses, and also subtly address topics including temptation, autism and spirituality.
The Oscar’s Book Prize winner will be announced at a London event on May 6. The judging panel includes CBeebies presenter Ben Cajee, along with the bestselling Smriti Halls and Imogen Russell Williams, an expert reviewer with a comprehensive knowledge of classic and contemporary children’s literature.
“We know the children’s publishing industry is centred on London but it’s gratifying to see so many talented writers and illustrators from across the country getting recognised on our 12th annual shortlist,” said Oscar’s Book Prize co-founder James Ashton.
“Once again our judges had a hard task selecting their favourites plus an eventual winner, which goes to show just how creative and diverse this books category is. These stories do a beautiful job of spreading joy and getting youngsters thinking and we hope many parents and children will pick them up to share.”
The shortlist for Oscar’s Book Prize 2025 is as follows:
All You Need to Know About Dogs by Fred Blunt (Happy Yak)
Gina Kaminski Rescues the Giant by Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin (Little Tiger)
Hank Goes Honk by Maudie Powell-Tuck and Duncan Beedie (Little Tiger)
Just the Two of Us by Polly Noakes (Andersen Press)
Terrible Horses by Raymond Antrobus and Ken Wilson-Max (Walker)
There’s a Tiger on the Train by Mariesa Dulak and Rebecca Cobb (Faber)
About Oscar’s Book Prize
Oscar’s Book Prize is an annual prize for the best illustrated book for young children. It champions magical storytelling by authors and illustrators, best shared between young children and their parents.
It is awarded in memory of book-loving Oscar Ashton, who died in 2012 of an undiagnosed heart condition aged three and a half. Founded by his parents and supported by Amazon and the London Standard, the prize has been running since 2014.
About our 2025 Judging Panel
Ben Cajee is an experienced television and radio presenter, voiceover artist, writer and event host. He’s been a main presenter on CBeebies since 2015 and has gone on to front Blue Peter, Bitesize Daily, Live Lessons, Presentation and Match of the Day Kickabout on CBBC.
Ben said: “I’ve always loved reading and storytelling. I know that picture books play such an important role in shaping relationships with the people you’ve shared them with and forming core memories. I can think back to my childhood and those special times and now have the privilege of reading lunchtime and bedtime stories for our young audiences on CBeebies and at festivals and events around the country.”
Smriti Halls is an internationally bestselling, multi-award winning children’s author, whose stories have been translated into 43 languages and counting. Her picture books include Rain Before Rainbows (illust. David Litchfield), the I’m Sticking With You series (illust. Steve Small) and U.S. #1bestseller I Love You Night and Day (illust. Alison Brown).
Smriti said: “Oscar’s Book Prize is a hugely important award, shining a brilliant light on the very best in children’s picture books. The shortlist always sparkles with absolute gems and it’s my joy to be on the judging panel this year.”
Imogen Russell Williams is the Guardian children’s book critic and the author of children’s non-fiction including The Big Book of the UK, The Big Book of Slimy Things and Great Britons.
Imogen said: “One of my favourite things about being a children’s critic is the hilarious, touching picture books I read every day. Packed with meaning and made for sharing, they shape loving, joyous memories for children just beginning to enter the world of books. The outstanding Oscar’s Book Prize has been raising the profile of this wonderful form of literature for over a decade, championing and celebrating so many brilliant new preschool books, and I’m honoured to be a judge in 2025.”
