Waterstones Children's Book Prize shortlist spotlights stories of neurodiversity and palaces filled with dumplings
The shortlist for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2025 has been announced.
The award, now in its 21st year, is voted for by booksellers across the UK, with the shortlist comprising 12 books across three categories: Illustrated Books, Younger Readers, and Older Readers.
Themes such as neurodiversity, belonging and anxiety are explored in the books on this year's shortlist, which also features its first ever graphic novel: a story about an imagined sign language system.
The list sheds light on topics of interest to young people as well as showcasing the best in children's writing and illustration.
In the Illustrated Books category, Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf by authorCraig Barr-Green and illustrator Francis Martin follows a neurodivergent protagonist in a humorous fresh take on the fairytale of Red Riding Hood. Meanwhile, Jana Curll's Mountain and Cloud tells the heartwarming story of a child facing worries and finding friendship.
Rounding out the category is Dim Sum Palace by X Fang, a mouth-wateringly illustrated book about a little girl dreaming of a palace full of dumplings, and The Café at the Edge of the Woods by Mikey Please.
The Younger Readers category features a broad range of genres. Included on the list are James Fox's The Boy in the Suit about a child in search of security, community and connection and Tidemagic: The Many Faces of Ista Flit by Clare Harlow, a fantasy about a shapeshifting girl on a magical adventure to find her missing father. Elsewhere, Piu DasGupta's Secrets of the Snakestone takes readers on a historical adventure. The final entry in the category is Rune: The Tale of a Thousand Faces by Carlos Sánchez. The first graphic novel to be listed, Rune imagines a magic system based on sign language.
In the Older Readers category, Emily Varga puts an innovative spin on The Count of Monte Cristo with her fantasy novel For She is Wrath. Two young men begin new lives after growing up together in the care system in Margaret McDonald's poignant Glasgow Boys, while King of Nothing by Nathanael Lessore is a teen comedy about an unlikely friendship between two boys. Also shortlisted is the Liverpool-set romcom Lover Birds by Leanne Egan.
One book will be awarded the winner in each category, with the three section winners vying for the overall title of Waterstones Children's Book Prize Winner 2025. Each category winner is awarded £2,000 with an extra £3,000 for the overall winner.
'Sharing a love of books with young readers is the most important thing we do as booksellers, and we have been proud to celebrate the very best emerging talent in children's publishing for over 20 years with this special prize,' said Bea Carvalho, head of books at Waterstones.
'In our illustrated category we are thrilled to present a quartet which celebrates plucky characters, dreamy landscapes, and all things spooky and delicious. Our shortlist of books for younger readers showcases storytelling excellence across historical adventure, fantasy, and real life stories, and includes the first graphic novel to be shortlisted for its age-group.
'Meanwhile there is something for teens of all tastes in our older readers category, with books which are hilarious and heartbreaking to appeal to both reluctant readers and avid bookworms. Booksellers have prioritised reading for pleasure with this shortlist and we can't wait to share all twelve books with readers young and old, far and wide.'
The winners will be announced at an evening ceremony on Thursday 27 March 2025.
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