And the winner of Oscar's Book Prize 2025 is...
2025 Oscar’s Book Prize winner named as Just The Two Of Us by Yorkshire-based author and illustrator Polly Noakes
Polly Noakes has been announced as the 12th annual winner of Oscar’s Book Prize for her touching story of friendship and hope, Just The Two Of Us.
The author and illustrator, who lives in rural North Yorkshire with her family, picked up the £10,000 award for the best picture book for young children at a celebrity- packed central London event this evening.
Just The Two Of Us, the story of what happens when a child’s imaginary friend is no longer needed, was chosen ahead of five other titles on a shortlist that spotlighted literary talent from Cornwall, Wales and London.
Supported by Amazon and the London Standard, the prize’s judging panel this year included CBeebies presenter Ben Cajee, along with the bestselling children’s author
Smriti Halls and Imogen Russell Williams, an expert reviewer with a comprehensive knowledge of classic and contemporary children’s literature.
It is awarded in memory of book-loving Oscar Ashton, who died in 2012 of an undiagnosed heart condition aged three and a half. The prize champions UK picture books and seeks to gently remind parents and carers of the power of early-years reading.
Polly Noakes graduated from Cambridge School of Art in 2015 with an MA in Children’s Book Illustration. As well as her own books, including The Very Long Sleep and Hide and Seek, Polly has illustrated for a number of other authors, using techniques such as monoprint, watercolour, gouache and collage.
What some of the OBP judges said about Just the Two of Us:
Smriti Halls: “It’s a tenderly, beautifully spun story which I just loved. We go on quite a journey in this book but we come out at the other end feeling uplifted.”
Ben Cajee: “It almost feels ethereal and spiritual and has so much depth… it is multi- layered and can be read in so many different ways.”
Viveka Alvestrand: “You feel drawn into the world the characters live in and you want to turn every page to find out what happens. It’s a really sweet book and I think it will be a comfort to a lot of readers.”
The 2025 Oscar’s Book Prize shortlist:
All You Need to Know About Dogs by Fred Blunt (Happy Yak) - Wales
Gina Kaminski Rescues the Giant by Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin (Little Tiger) - Truro and Brierfield
Hank Goes Honk by Maudie Powell-Tuck and Duncan Beedie (Little Tiger) - London and Bristol
Just the Two of Us by Polly Noakes (Andersen Press) - Yorkshire
Terrible Horses by Raymond Antrobus and Ken Wilson-Max (Walker) - London and Kent
There’s a Tiger on the Train by Mariesa Dulak and Rebecca Cobb (Faber) - London and Cornwall
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.
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. #1 bestseller I Love You Night and Day (illust. Alison Brown).
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.
Viveka Alvestrand is a jewellery designer and digital marketer. She is Oscar’s mum and in 2013 co-founded Oscar’s Book Prize, judging every year since.
Zak Watts is Amazon’s UK Books Country Manager. He has spent more than 13 years at the company, working in a range of director roles across sustainability and consumer goods.
Previous winners of Oscar’s Book Prize:
2024: When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth (Frances Lincoln Children's Books) by Sean Taylor and Zehra Hicks
2023: The Boy with Flowers in His Hair (Walker Books) by Jarvis
2022: Maybe… (Walker Books) by Chris Haughton
2021: The Littlest Yak (Simon & Schuster) by Lu Fraser and Kate Hindley
2020: Tad (HarperCollins) by Benji Davies
2019: How To Be a Lion (Puffin) by Ed Vere
2018: There’s a Pig Up My Nose (Egmont) by John Dougherty and Laura Hughes
2017: The Koala Who Could (Orchard Books) by Rachel Bright and Jim Field
2016: The Cow Who Climbed A Tree (Macmillan Children’s Books) by Gemma Merino
2015: The Queen’s Hat (Hodder Children’s Books) by Steve Antony
2014: The Storm Whale (Simon & Schuster) by Benji Davies
Meet the shortlist 2025: Mariesa Dulak and Rebecca Cobb
And last up from our shortlist is a tigery tale from the minds (And pencil) of Mariesa Dulak and Rebecca Cobb - the thoroughtly delightful There’s a Tiger on the Train.
Mariesa Dulak was born in Yorkshire of dual heritage (Barbadian/White British). Her Dad taught her how to hold a cricket bat, prune roses and master long division while her Mum fed her a nutritious diet of Fairy tales, Pam Ayres and Yorkshire puddings. A love of bookish things led to a degree in English literature, an MA in Children's Literature and a career in publishing. The GEA helped Mariesa turn her scribbles into stories – she now writes picture books about identity and family life. Mariesa is a Primary School Librarian and lives with her family in West London.
Rebecca Cobb grew up surrounded by coloured pencils, felt pens, wax crayons, poster paints and pieces of paper. She now works as a picture book illustrator and writer. As well as illustrating her own books, she has also illustrated works by authors, including Julia Donaldson, Helen Dunmore, Richard Curtis, Nicola Davies and Katherine Woodfine. In 2013, Rebecca won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for Picture Books with her book Lunchtime, and she has been shortlisted for the prestigious CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal three times.
Mariesa’s Q&A answers:
My preferred channel is Instagram and I'm @mariesadulak on Instagram, Bluesky and Threads (I am no longer on Twitter).
Who or what do you think the boy’s favourite picture book character would be, and why?
I think the little boy in the story would relate to Shirley in Come away from the water, Shirley by John Burningham and CJ in Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Pena and Christian Robinson. Both these books feature child characters who see things differently because of the way the adult in their world responds to them. In the first book Shirley makes the most of a trip to the beach by inventing a world of pirate ships and buried treasure when her parents are too preoccupied to engage with her. And in the second book, CJ’s nana shows him how to ‘find beautiful’ in the city as they take the bus help out at a soup kitchen. Both these picture books have glorious illustrations too.
How did you come up with the idea for writing this story?
This book was inspired by my own experience of working full time with a young family and finding it hard to get the balance right. One day I was trying to push my daughter on a swing AND deal with some urgent work emails and my daughter got very, very cross. But not with me… with my phone! After that day I tried to be more in the moment. I stopped taking my phone to the park and made a vow to spend more non-screen time with each of my children every day. I’m not perfect but like most parents I do my best! The Dad in my story wants to spend time with his son too - he’s just distracted by the pressures of modern life. It takes a mobile-free moment for him to realise that he’s missing out on the things that really matter – being there for his son and making memories with him.
What is your favourite picture book of all time, and who would you read it with?
This question is SO difficult. I simply can’t choose just one. The picture book that I remember reading when I was a child is Dogger by Shirley Hughes. Hughes captures the relationship between siblings and the anguish of losing a favourite toy perfectly. And then the picture book I remember sharing with my children again and again when they were little was You Choose by Pippa Goodhart and Nick Sharratt. The whole family would snuggle up on the bed and make up stories together using the prompts and illustrations from the pages. I love how as the children grew and their interests and choices changed, the book seemed to grow with them! And lastly, one of the many picture books that I’ve enjoyed reading recently is If All the World Were by the amazing Joseph Coelho. I’d share all these books with my son and daughter – they are both in their teens now, but you are never too old to share a picture book!
Rebecca’s Q&A answers
My social media names are Instagram @rebecca_a_cobb and Bluesky @rebeccacobb . I will try my best to send a doodle soon and here are my answers to the questions:
Who or what do you think the boy’s favourite picture book character would be, and why?
I think that he would really like Bernard, from 'Not Now Bernard' by David McKee and also the little girl in 'Gorilla' by Anthony Browne because as well as these both being amazing picture books, I think he would identify with these characters as they both have busy parents and they wish they would pay them more attention! I think that he'd also love 'Up High' by Matt Hunt for the opposite reason in that the Dad in that book is very attentive to his little boy and it is a lovely depiction of their close relationship and how they notice and enjoy everything around them.
How did you decide what the characters would look like? (Rebecca)
I always think it is the sign of brilliant writing when you can easily imagine what a character looks like as you are reading a story and when I read Mariesa's story 'There's A Tiger On The Train' I could straight away picture in my mind all the chaos of the train journey - with those cheeky piglets and their mum, the beach ready crocodiles with their buckets and spades, the hippos with their picnic hamper and cups of tea and of course the bright orange, top-hat-wearing tiger, reading his comic. The tricky thing was then trying to get the pictures in my mind down onto paper so I had to do lots of drawing to get them as close as possible to what I had imagined. I loved the colours of the choice of animals that Mariesa had written about so instead of giving them clothes to wear which I felt would cover them up and hide them a bit too much, I chose to leave them mostly as they were without anything on except for perhaps just one or two accessories. For the boy and the dad characters I was led by Mariesa who gave me notes on who they were which was really helpful. I also spent a lot of time working out how the train would look too and what pattern should be on the seats because that felt like an important part of this book as well. I actually built a little cardboard model of the train carriage to help me draw it and plan how each page would look.
What is your favourite picture book of all time, and who would you read it with?
That is extremely hard to choose and I don't think I could say just one book because I think my answer changes all the time but right now I'm going to say 'Bathe the Cat' by Alice B. McGinty and David Roberts and I would choose to read it with my two daughters. We love this book and read it together all the time and it never stops being funny. I love how much it makes us laugh, it is visually stunning because David Roberts' illustrations are absolutely beautiful and it is very clever how it lets the reader in on the secret of the cat shuffling the to-do list around without the other characters noticing.
Meet the Shortlist 2025: Raymond Antrobus and Ken Wilson-Max
Next up on the Oscar’s Book Prize shortlist is Terrible Horses by Raymond Antrobus and Ken Wilson-Max. A dreamy story of siblings rivalries and the importance of feeling understood.
Raymond Antrobus became the first poet to be awarded the Rathbone Folio Prize, and in 2021 he was awarded an MBE for his services to literature. His adult poetry collection The Perseverance won Raymond the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award and the Ted Hughes Award. His poetry collection, All the Names Given, was shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize. Can Bears Ski?, illustrated by Polly Dunbar, was Raymond's picture book debut. Raymond lives in Hertfordshire. Find him online at raymondantrobus.com, on Instagram as @raymond_antrobus and Twitter as @RaymondAntrobus.
Ken Wilson-Max was born in Zimbabwe. He came to the UK to study design and ended up working in children's publishing. His first book was published in 1993 and since then there have been many, including The Big Yellow Taxi, Little Red Plane, and the Lenny and Max series. As well as being a leading graphic designer, he is the publisher of Chicken! a newspaper which introduces current affairs to primary school children. He spends much time visiting schools and libraries, creating workshops and delivering exhibitions. He calls this "a great part of my job, the place where I learn the most". Ken Wilson Max lives in north London.
Raymond and Ken’s Q&A answers
Who or what do you think the boy’s favourite picture book character would be, and why? (Raymond and Ken)
Probably the little rabbit in Guess How Much I Love You? I kept trying to find a way to bring out the love and empathy in the little boy when making the pictures. Ken
Probably Max from Where The Wild Things Are for his playful imagination and curious mischief. A quietly dark book with colourful ambivalent feelings. Raymond
How did you come up with the idea for writing this story? (Raymond)
It came to me while I was living in Oklahoma City. I had done a tour of the site of where the Oklahoma bombing happened. I stood by what the locals call 'The Survivor Tree' because it was still standing despite the impact of the blast. People in the city are encouraged to go to that tree to ruminate on the conflict in their lives and how they can be resolved. I thought of my relationship with my older sister and how violent and turbulent it once was and how (generally) peaceful it is now, so I literally wrote the text for Terrible Horses right there, under the tree. Raymond
How did you decide what the characters would look like? (Ken)
Ideas start coming once I have a deep understanding of the essence of a story. This takes a lot of thought, and I always look out for clues, which can be sentences or even one word combined with things I am noticing at the time, or people from my own life. In this case, during my first zoom meeting with Raymond I sketched what he might look like as the little boy in the story. Ken
What is your favourite picture book of all time, and who would you read it with? (Raymond and Ken)
The one I come back to is ‘A Balloon for Grandad’ by Jane Ray because it was the first time I saw black and brown characters in a story. I grew up without access to picture books and at a time when reading was purely for learning in the 'apartheid lite’ of the Rhodesian society, which tried to keep people of different races apart. After independence I started seeing illustrated books in my teens and really got into them in my early twenties in London, discovering the work of Ezra Jack Keats for the first time. I am still fascinated by the power of picture books. Ken
Too many to name one, plus different stories were needed at different times. It's like asking what my favourite medicine or meal is, it depends on the injury and/or the appetite. I think Raymond Brigg's picture books were particularly evocative to me as a child and now (The Snowman, Father Christmas and Fungus The Bogeyman might be my top 3 of his). My son is 3 years old and loves reading and this year might be the christmas I gift him those Briggs books. Raymond
Meet the shortlist 2025: Polly Noakes
The penultimate shortlisted book we’re spotlighting is Just The Two Of Us by Polly Noakes - a touching story of friendship and hope. Polly attended Cambridge School of Art, and graduated in 2015 with an MA in Children's Book Illustration. She has illustrated a number of books, using various techniques such as monoprint, watercolour, gouache and collage. Polly lives in rural North Yorkshire with her family.
Polly Noakes answers:
Who or what do you think Stella’s favourite picture book character would be and why?
Whilst not strictly a picture book, Pippi Longstocking, is a character with autonomy and freedom to be herself and who Stella would love!
My fav picture book of all time and who would I read it with -
Mr Magnolia by Quintin Blake.
I used to read this to my children who absolutely loved it, even as adults they remember the words. This is the power of a good book!
How did you come up with the idea for writing this story?
The majority of my ideas come from my own childhood, which I am lucky enough to remember. I played with imaginary friends, as did my daughter and I think both of us found comfort in them. Initially the story was told from Stella’s point of view, until I started wondering where do imaginary friends go when they are no longer needed? And the story just flowed from there.
Meet the shortlist 2025: Maudie Powell-Tuck and Duncan Beedie
Up third in our Oscar’s Book Prize shortlist extravaganza is Maudie Powell-Tuck and Duncan Beedie for their tale of a very naughty (and noisy) goose: Hank Goes Honk!
Maudie Powell-Tuck has been writing, editing and dreaming about picture books for over 12 years. She has worked in a children’s bookshop and as an editor for a children's publisher, so she can enthuse about kids books ’til the cows come home. When not writing or editing, Maudie can be found pootling around charity shops with her kids, reading, and watching embarrassingly trashy reality tv. She is forever losing her hearing aids and has dropped her phone 1,345,566 times. Miraculously it still works.
Duncan Beedie is a bestselling children's author and illustrator from Bristol. He has worked on a number of Little Tiger titles, including the Agent Llama series by Angela Woolfe, The Bush Baby Adventure series by Karl Newson and his own story, Heavy Metal Badger, which has been nominated for several children's literature awards. When not drawing badgers, bears and bush babies, Duncan likes to get out in the woods or sit in a comfy chair to read ghost stories.
And here’s their answers to our Q&A
Maudie Powell-Tuck’s answers:
Who or what do you think Hank’s favourite picture book character would be, and why?
Hank would adore Stephanie Blake’s Simon Rabbit. They both have a devilish glint in their eyes and a proclivity for mischief!
How did you come up with the idea for writing this story?
I’ve always wanted to write a picture book about an anti-hero and Hank pretty much pecked his way onto my page and demanded I write a story about him. He’s a very obnoxious goose with a loud HONK so he’s hard to ignore! It was fun to write a character who is (I hope!) unlike myself, but what I like best about Hank is that he accepts he's flawed and tries to change, even though he makes many mistakes along the way.
What is your favourite picture book of all time, and who would you read it with?
Oh it's torture to choose just one! I have SO MANY favourites. But if I had to choose, I’d curl up with my kids and all my nieces and nephews on a big squashy sofa and read them Millie’s Marvellous Hat by Satoshi Kitamura. It perfectly captures how creativity and imagination can inspire empathy and connection - and best of all, it's funny too!
Duncan Beedie’s Answers:
Who or what do you think Hank’s favourite picture book character would be, and why?
As Hank can have a bit of a destructive streak when things don't go his way, I imagine he would probably err towards someone like Rumplestiltskin. Hank would no doubt be secretly impressed with foot-stomping, hissy fit-having ways.
How did you decide what Hank and the other characters would look like?
Hank's look was determined over a period of time that saw him morph from MIchael Douglas' character in 'Falling Down', then donning a cowboy hat and roller skates, to how he finally looks in the books. Don't ask me how we got there. There's no method in his madness.
What is your favourite picture book of all time, and who would you read it with?
Of all the books I remember having as a young child, Mr Bump was probably the one I returned to the most. I wasn't necessarily a clumsy kid myself, but I couldn't help feeling sorry for the little chap. I would gladly read it with anyone who had suffered a particularly bumpy day, in order to cheer them up.
Meet the shortlist 2025: Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin
Next up - a corking duo hit our shortlist in the form of Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin for the fantastical, fairytale-inspired Gina Kaminski Rescues the Giant.
Craig Barr-Green writes picture books, non-fiction titles and theatre productions for children. He lectures in Children’s Literature at Falmouth University and often performs storytelling shows at festivals. He is a passionate advocate for childrenís literacy and neurodivergent representation. He loves music but sadly cannot play a note. Francis Martin is an illustrator and artist living out in the wilds of Pendle Witch Country, conjuring up pictures for stories by splodging ink and charcoal all over the place. He is a graduate of Cambridge School of Art’s MA in Children’s Book Illustration, who in another life did five BBC Radio 1 John Peel sessions. He loves dogs and travelling across the moors in trains.
Craig Barr-Green’s answers:
Who or what do you think Gina Kaminski’s favourite picture book character would be, and why?
Easy. Rosie, from Rosie’s Walk, written and illustrated by Pat Hutchins. Rosie wants a walk, and she has a walk, and the walk is over. No mistakes. Job done. Everything is correct. A perfect story that isn’t spoiled by the silly fox.
How did you come up with the idea for writing this story?
I get terribly worried about trips – even ones I am looking forward to. This has lived with me since childhood. There are so many things to remember and so many unknowable elements. I wanted to channel this into a school trip story for children. Gina worries about where she will eat her lunch. This is huge! What if it’s somewhere awful? Somewhere cramped where you can smell everyone else’s sandwiches? I could have added lots more here. Where are the toilets? When can you use them? What if the ceilings are so high they might make your stomach feel like it’s falling. What if you get lost? What if you feel ill on the coach (I often get travel sick). These are all legitimate concerns. I also wanted to explore the small items that make us happy, or calmer, or that hold sentimental value (or all three). Lady Wiggles - Gina’s teddy - makes a comeback here. It’s Gina's special thing and it makes her feel calm. I wondered what would happen if she lost her most special item. This led me to the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. A fairy story / folk tale that has been endlessly retold, revised, remixed and reclaimed. I personally think, in the versions I have read, that the Giant gets a bad rap.
What is your favourite picture book of all time, and who would you read it with?
I am always led by illustration. I massively respect the craft and skill of authors, but I am bewitched by illustrators. How do they do it! It’s magic. It’s…unfathomable!
When I think of picturebooks. I immediately think of the Ahlbergs’ iconic Funny Bones. It’s an instant connection. The beautiful black / white / yellow / red palate will always make me feel giddy with nostalgic happiness. I could say the same for Nicoll and Pienkowski’s transcendentally glorious Meg and Mog books. Meg’s Castle is the one that leaps the highest to my mind. Maybe it’s those block primary colours again… Sam and Dave Dig a Hole is the book I used to read most to my children and I adore it for that. Barnett and Klassen truly capture the comic potential of a picturebook. Ahhhh but what about Donaldson and Cobb’s beautiful and ever so poignant The Paper Dolls? Or Di Giorgio and Zoboli’s wordless, wonderful Professional Crocodile. The illustrations are jaw droppingly exquisite. The clever manipulation of narrative time; the inventive POV of the spreads - much like a Director of Photography lining up a shot in a movie; the delightful and oh so clever ending. What a book!
What to choose? This is agonising!
It’s Rosie’s Walk. Of course it is. The book is and daring and charming and formally experimental and hilarious and timeless. I would like to read it to Gina Kaminski, for the reasons above.
Francis Martin’s Answers:
Who or what do you think Gina Kaminski’s favourite picture book character would be, and why?
That’s a tricky question, I’m sure that Gina would be a bit miffed if I got it wrong as I’m sure that there are a few characters who might annoy her. So I’ll take a chance on ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ his directness, focus and the inclusion of cake in his food choices would appeal to her.
How did you decide what Gina would look like?
I felt Gina already existed and that I had to match her image out of what was implied in the text. It took a bit drawing, at first, she was too old and too tall. The smaller and younger she got the more her presence and strength grew. Her outfit had to be as iconic as a Batman or a Spider-Man and I knew from the start that she would have freckles. I love it it when I see her looking out of the displays of bookshops. I almost forget that it was me who drew her
What is your favourite picture book of all time, and who would you read it with?
If I could travel back in time and be sitting on the edge of my daughter’s bed at around 7.30 pm reading the lines: ‘In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.’ I would be ecstatic. Ludwig Bemelmans ‘Madeline’ was an utter joy and a great sharing book.
Meet the shortlist 2025: Fred Blunt
Let’s get to know our first shortlistee! And that shortlistee is Fred Blunt, an award-winning author and illustrator for his thoroughly excellent canine romp: All you Need To Know About Dogs. Humour has always been top of Fred’s list when it comes to drawing. Right from those early (rather unflattering) portraits of teachers, Fred knew he wanted to entertain with his work. As well as writing and illustrating his own very silly picture books, Fred has collaborated with some of the best authors of the moment and also works in animation as a character designer. Fred lives in West Wales, with his wife, two children and their retired Greyhound, Olive.
Who or what do you think the cat’s favourite picture book character would be, and why?
Definitely a cat!
Maybe Judith Kerr’s Mog?
Definitely not the Tiger that came to tea though, Cat has a bit of a phobia of tigers!
How did you come up with the idea for writing this story?
I’d been wrestling with the idea of a dog book for a long time , but struggled to make it work.
That was until one day I drew a cat in my sketchbook sarcastically running dogs down, which just sort of ignited the story.
What is your favourite picture book of all time, and who would you read it with?
SOO hard to choose!!
I think maybe ’Not Now Bernard’ by one of my heroes David McKee.
It’s really a story for grown ups, reminding us not to ignore our kids and spend our time better - but it’s funny and has a monster, so kids love it too.
used to read it to my kids but they are a bit too old for bedtime stories now, so maybe I would read it to my greyhound Orla - she likes snuggling up while I read.
The 2025 Shortlist is announced!
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.”
Learn more about our Longlist Judges
With our shortlist announcement fast approaching, we wanted to say a huge thank you to all of our judges - at longlist and shortlist stage - for their work - and HARD decisions! It’s a tough job but the intrepid cohort of longlist judges include Sean Taylor and Zehra Hicks who are last year's winners, Viveka Alvestrand who is Oscar's Mother, Sajida Akber who works at Oscar's nursery Tash Hyde from Read for Good and Monica Carmichael from Tower Hamlets School Library Service
To mark their hard work we wanted to share a selection of their Q&As - which you might have caught on our social channels - read them all below!
Monica Carmicheal
Which picture book are you currently reading?
The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming
Which picture book do you always recommend?
The Lost Dads Home by Eric Veille
If you could be any picture book character, which one would you be?
Slinky Malinki – Who doesn’t want to be a cat!
Monica Carmicheal is a librarian at the Schools Library Service in Tower Hamlets. She has over 10 years experience working in public and school libraries and a passion for children’s literature.She has worked in libraries in Australia and the UK and loves to promote libraries and reading to anyone that will listen!
Sajida Akber
Which picture book are you currently reading?
I have recently read ‘In My Heart – A Book of Feelings’. It helps young children understand and express a wide range of emotions in a simple ad accessible way.
Which picture book do you always recommend?
I always recommend ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ because, it teaches children counting, colours, days of the week and the life cycle of a butterfly. The vibrant illustrations make the book pop!
If you could be any picture book character, which one would you be?
If I could be a picture book character, I would be Goldilocks from ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’.
Sajida Akber has worked at Eveline day Nursery for 16 years. She is currently the Manager of the Wimbledon branch, and was part of the staff while Oscar attended the nursery. She has been involved in the judging process since Oscars Book Prize was established, and looks forward to attending the event in May with her Daughter Hana.
Sean Taylor
Which picture book are you currently reading?
I’ve been re-reading the poetic, and big-hearted HOME IN THE RAIN from 2019 - by inspirational Bob Graham.
Which picture book do you always recommend?
BEN’S TRUMPET by Rachel Isadora from 1991. It’s a beautiful picture book about confidence and learning.
If you could be any picture book character, which one would you be?
I’ll be FROG in any of Max Velthuij’s simple and truthful books about him and his friends!
Sean Taylor is the author of over 60 books for children. He is best known for picture books such as HOOT OWL MASTER OF DISGUISE, WHEN DINOSAURS WALKED THE EARTH, MONSTER! HUNGRY! PHONE! and HOW TO BE COOLER THAN COOL. Sean’s poetry collections for children include THE DREAM TRAIN - POEMS FOR BEDTIME and his story-based guide to writing poetry for the very young, YOU’RE A POET. In 2025 he will publish FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS – a book of finger rhymes for young readers. He has 30 years’ experience running creative writing workshops for children. To find out more visit, Sean’s website: www.seantaylorstories.com or find him on Instagram as @seantstories.
Tash Hyde
Which picture book are you currently reading?
The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish by Chloe Savage. Beautiful illustrations, love that the reader is 'in the know' where the scientists can't find the jellyfish
Which picture book do you always recommend?
Oi Frog (and other books in the series) by Kes Gray & Jim Field. A great rhyming book to share, it's silly and the illustrations are fabulous.
If you could be any picture book character, which one would you be?
The Caterpillar in the Very Hungry Caterpillar because you get to eat lots of delicious food and turn into a beautiful butterfly!
Viveka Alvestrand
Which picture book are you currently reading?
I'm re-reading the longlist for this year's Oscar's Book Prize. It's a strong field so it will be difficult to whittle the books down to a shortlist, let alone choose a winning title. But what a privilege it is to do so.
Which picture book do you always recommend?
Former Oscar's Book Prize winners of course! From tales about stranded whales, a cow who likes to climb trees, brave lions and yaks, to books about friendship and finding inner strengths you didn't know you had, there's one to suit every child. All our winning titles are special in their different ways - just like the children they are being read to.
If you could be any picture book character, which one would you be?
This is an impossible question to answer, there are too many! But I do have a soft spot for the Boy character in Oliver Jeffers' universe - he who tries to catch a star and find his way home after he is lost.
Viveka Alvestrand is Oscar’s mother and co-founder of Oscar’s Book Prize. Born in Stockholm, Sweden, she is a self-confessed book worm, and studied Youth & Children’s Literature at Stockholm University before moving to the UK. She works in digital media, and also designs and makes her own line of contemporary jewellery in Surrey.
Zehra Hicks
Which picture book are you currently reading?
'Be Bold, Bob' written by Jane Porter, illustrated by Jenni Desmond which came out last month. It’s such a warm and reassuring story about confidence and finding your voice, and it's wonderfully illustrated too.
Which picture book do you always recommend?
I’d always recommend Would You Rather, by John Burningham - it was a hit with the whole family and I still love it now. More recently I’ve been recommending ’Someone Just Like You’ published in 2023 by Helen Docherty and David Roberts. It’s a moving story encouraging empathy and kindness, sensitively written and beautifully illustrated.
If you could be any picture book character, which one would you be?
I think it would have to be Claude. (Books by Alex T Smith). I think Claude has such fun when his owners are out! I do think a dog’s life would be so nice sometimes, especially Claude’s!
Zehra Hicks is an award winning picture book author and illustrator who covers a wide range of topics from serious and heartfelt, to silly and funny. Her books have been published in over 25 languages.
As well as writing and illustrating picture books, she tutors on the book illustration short course at UAL Chelsea – a course she studied 15 years ago that helped her get her first picture book contract. If she’s not writing, illustrating or teaching, you may find her running with her sausage dog, Vincent, who sets the perfect slow pace!
Announcing the judging panel for Oscar's Book Prize 2025
A kids TV favourite is getting together with a top children’s author and leading critic to choose the best UK picture book for 2025.
The judging panel for Oscar’s Book Prize this year 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.
The panel’s selection from a hand-picked shortlist will become the 12th annual winner of Oscar’s Book Prize and scoop a £10,000 award at a London event on May 6th. The prize is supported by Amazon and the London Standard and is named after Oscar Ashton, who died in 2012 from a heart condition aged three and a half. Completing the five-strong panel are Viveka Alvestrand, who co-founded the literary award in memory of her son, and Zak Watts, Amazon’s UK Books Country Manager.
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, as well as live broadcasts for BBC Sport. He’s a regular on Match of the Day on BBC One, presenting / producing their community features. Ben voiced the Tokyo Olympics 2020, Wimbledon 2021 - 23, Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 and Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 across BBC Sport’s red button and iPlayer services. Having previously worked for the International Cricket Council, Ben has an extensive knowledge of cricket and led as an ambassador for the ECB’s All Stars Cricket initiative. He was a lead presenter and stadium host for games at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, appeared on BBC Sport’s The Cricket Social and presented features for the BBC’s coverage of The Hundred.
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. I’m looking forward to helping select the wonderful books that Oscar’s Book Prize will recommend this year - and being captivated by their stories and pictures.”
Smriti Halls is an internationally bestselling, multi-award winning children’s author, whose stories have been translated into 43 languages… and counting. Her books are loved by children and adults alike and include picture book favourites Rain Before Rainbows (illust. David Litchfield), the I’m Sticking With You series (illust. Steve Small) and U.S. #1 bestseller I Love You Night and Day (illust. Alison Brown). Smriti has been a Writer in Residence for BookTrust and is a patron for the School Library Association; she works widely with schools, libraries, festivals, bookshops and prisons to bring a love of reading to the widest possible audience. Smriti has been shortlisted for a Book of the Year at The British Book Awards, and three times for Oscar’s Book Prize.
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.”
Viveka Alvestrand is a jewellery designer and digital marketer. She is Oscar’s mum and in 2013 co-founded Oscar’s Book Prize, judging every year since. Zak Watts is Amazon’s UK Books Country Manager. He has spent more than 13 years at the company, working in a range of director roles across sustainability and consumer goods.
Zak Watts is the UK Country Manager for Amazon Books, and a keen and avid reader of history and literary fiction. He has been with Amazon for over 13 years in a variety of roles. Father to three children, he’s long been a supporter of the importance of bedtime reading.
The Submission period for Oscar's Book Prize 2025 is now Closed
Well….that went quickly! The submission period for Oscar’s Book Prize 2025 is now closed.
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 here for updates later in the year, or follow our social channels!
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!
Entries Are Now Open for Oscar’s Book Prize 2025!
Hurrah! It’s not only time to open your second advent door of the season, but Oscar's Book Prize 2025 is now open for entries!
We will be accepting submissions from publishers until 5pm on Friday 17th January 2025.
To find out what’s eligible please see our Enter page to read the Terms and Conditions, and to fill in the digital entry form.
We can’t wait to see what this year has in store!
Oscar's Book Club: One Lucky School Gets a Special Visit from Our Patron!
We’re very lucky to have HRH Princess Beatrice as our Patron - and this year she helped us mark the inaugural Oscar’s Book Club by visiting a primary school and reading this year’s winning book!
You can read all about the visit via the press release below - or here’s a lovely video, too!
HRH Princess Beatrice visits London primary school to read the winning title from this year’s Oscar’s Book Prize
London, UK, 23 May 2024: HRH Princess Beatrice made a surprise visit to West Thornton Primary School in Croydon, South London to carry out a very special storytime with year one pupils, courtesy of Oscar’s Book Prize.
The visit celebrated the recent launch of Oscar’s Book Club, whereby Oscar’s Book Prize and award supporter, Amazon, are donating this year’s shortlisted books to schools and nurseries across the country via the Amazon Reading Volunteer network. This team of volunteers will also support on the ground with group reading sessions to inspire young children through the magic of reading.
HRH, who is the Prize’s Royal Patron, read the 2024 winning book, When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth by Sean Taylor (author) and Zehra Hicks (illustrator), before sitting down with the class to take a look at the other shortlisted books, and find out a little more about the pupils’ own reading habits. HRH also discussed the importance of picture books to foster children’s imagination and how they can provide quality moments for families coming together at the end of the day.
Jonathan Owen, Headteacher at West Thornton Primary School said: "So much can be taught from picture books and we make sure our children are exposed to a wide range of stories from the very beginning of their school journey. One of our school priorities is to ensure that proficient reading skills and a love of reading underpin all learning across our curriculum. We carefully select texts that both faithfully represent our diverse community and serve to broaden children's imagination. The diversity of topics covered in children’s books is greater than ever, and those shortlisted for this year’s Oscar’s Book Prize were no exception to that. We have loved reading them together and it was an absolute delight to have HRH Princess Beatrice visit and read this year’s winning book - it certainly will be a story time to remember!”
When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth (Frances Lincoln Children's Books) topped the shortlist of five magical stories to take home the £10,000 literary prize earlier in May. The book is a fun tale about the intrepid journey of a little dinosaur named Smallasaurus, who simply wants to enjoy her plant-based diet in peace, but goes on a big adventure along the way. This witty and vibrant children’s book brings the prehistoric period into the present day, complete with dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes.
This year’s shortlist for the Prize also included Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf by Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin (Little Tiger), Geoffrey Gets The Jitters by Nadia Shireen (Puffin), Gigantic by Bob Biddulph (HarperCollins Children's Books) and The Hare-Shaped Hole by John Dougherty and Thomas Docherty (Frances Lincoln Children's Books).
The award, now in its eleventh year, was set up by James Ashton and Viveka Alvestrand - named in memory of their son Oscar, who was three-and-a-half when he died from an undiagnosed heart condition - and celebrates the joy and magic picture books can bring to young children.
Lisa de Meyer, Amazon UK Books Country Manager, said: “Both humorous and full of surprises, When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth truly is a memorable and page-turning picture book. The rhythmic language and colourful illustrations will make it a wonderful addition to Oscar’s Book Club, alongside the other magnificent shortlisted titles. We hope the schools up and down the country receiving these books via the Amazon Reading Volunteers enjoy them as much as us judges did!”
All about our 2024 winner: When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth
As you might have noticed, we’re slightly excited and delighted by our 2024 winner! Sean Taylor and Zehra Hicks’s When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth is a very funny, beautifully illustrated story about one little dinosaur with one thing on her mind: how to get a juicy plant into her hungry tummy…but nothing’s ever simple in prehistoric times.
But who better to talk more about the book than the judges who chose it? Please watch the video below to find out more.
And while we highly recommend reading this book (and the other four on our shortlist!) - please also have a watch of our very special judges’ reading of the book, below - and find out for yourself if Smallasaurus gets her happy ending, or indeed her lunch!
Oscar's Book Prize 2024: we have a winner!
Sean Taylor and Zehra Hicks are revealed as the 2024 winning author and illustrator of Oscar’s Book Prize for When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth!
We’re delighted to reveal that the winner of this year’s Oscar’s Book Prize is When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth by Sean Taylor and Zehra Hicks! This beautifully illustrated, wonderfully funny book topped the shortlist of five magical stories to take home the £10,000 literary prize.
The announcement was made tonight (7th May) at a star-studded awards ceremony in central London.
When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth (Frances Lincoln Children's Books) is a fun (and funny) tale about the intrepid journey of a little dinosaur named Smallasaurus, who simply wants to enjoy her plant-based diet in peace, but goes on a big adventure along the way.
Witty and vibrant, this gorgeous children’s book brings the prehistoric period into the present day, complete with dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes.
We caught up with Sean (who kindly digitally beamed in all the way from Brazil) and Zehra at the ceremony, and they had this to say:
Sean Taylor said: “I’m so sorry not to be here today, but I’m living in Brazil at the moment.
The journey back costs a lot of money and it emits a lot of carbon (and the hot air generated by acceptance speeches today is already going to give this event a high-enough carbon footprint).
But I’m honoured to receive this award. Hat raised to all on the shortlist.
Many thanks to Zehra Hicks for her zingy and zany illustrations…to all at Frances Lincoln Children’s Books…to my special agent James Catchpole….and to those who set up, organised and judged Oscar’s Book Prize. What a great way to honour a boy who loved books.
These are times of much talk about creating artificial intelligence. But we know reading books creates REAL intelligence.
So here’s to the memory of Oscar Ashton - and here’s to giving children lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of HAPPY READING!’’
Illustrator Zehra Hicks said: “It was an absolute delight to work with Sean on this story. It just jumped out at me and I knew immediately I had to work on it. The humorous storyline had me laughing through the illustration process, plus, it’s not every day you get to draw dinosaurs of all shapes, sizes and colours! I literally think I have the best job in the world! I am thrilled to have collaborated on this book, and thank you to Sean for inspiring me to bring Smallasaurus to life.’’
We would like to extend a HUGE congratulations to Sean and Zehra on this fantastic achievement! Not to mention one more look at this delightful little dinosaur…
Of course, our congratulations must also go to the other amazingly talented authors and illustrators on this year’s shortlist. Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf by Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin (Little Tiger), Geoffrey Gets The Jitters by Nadia Shireen (Puffin), Gigantic by Bob Biddulph (HarperCollins Children's Books) and The Hare-Shaped Hole by John Dougherty and Thomas Docherty (Frances Lincoln Children's Books).
The 2024 judging panel joined the award ceremony held at The Ivy, West Street in central London. Our superstar judges were Zoey Dixon, Librarian of the Year 2020 and The Bookseller Rising Star 2020, children’s author, Oscar’s Book Prize alumnus Chris Haughton, who won the prize in 2022, Viveka Alvestrand, who co-founded the literary award in memory of her son Oscar, and Lisa de Meyer, the UK Books Country Manager at Amazon.co.uk.
Meet the Shortlist 2024: Geoffrey Gets the Jitters by Nadia Shireen (Puffin)
We can’t believe it, but it’s already time to explore our fifth and final book! And if that makes you anxious, don’t worry, because Geoffrey Gets the Jitters is a book which understands!
Written and illustrated by the incredible Nadia Shireen, and published by Puffin, Geoffrey Gets the Jitters is all about a little dog with a big problem with his worries. Please read on to find out more!
What is the book about?
Geoffrey's got the jitters! It started last night when he was thinking about school - a funny, wiggly feeling in his tummy that grew and grew. But when Geoffrey's tummy jitters started talking to him - that's when he knew they were out of control. Geoffrey had to do something...
Through a laugh-out-loud story and loveable character, Nadia Shireen shows how to understand and dispel anxieties, one jitter at a time.
What Our Judges Said:
'I really liked the practicality of this book – and it definitely puts the fun in feeling nervous’.
‘This is such a nice way of tackling this topic, and a very good way of explaining anxiety, with great humour and a really good use of absurdity.’
‘The animal characters lift the story outside of reality making this safe and accessible.'
'Loved the illustrations, and the random things, too!'
We were lucky enough that author & illustrator Nadia kindly answered some of our questions about Geoffrey - please read on to find out more about Nadia, and what she said! Thank you, Nadia!
About Nadia Shireen:
Nadia Shireen enjoyed making homemade magazines and comics as a child. She studied law at university and then worked in magazine journalism; it was during this time that she started to draw again. After a lifetime of doodling in the sidelines, Nadia decided to pay some attention to drawing and in 2007 was accepted onto an MA course in Children's Book Illustration at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Her debut book Good Little Wolf received a mention in the Bologna Ragazzi Opera Prima Award and won the UKLA Book Award. Nadia has been shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. She lives in London.
Nadia’s Q&A:
What is the picture book that have you enjoyed reading with someone else most, and why?
I have wonderful memories of reading “Oh No, George!” by Chris Haughton to my now not-so-little-boy. It’s so simple and funny and I love how Chris packs is SO much tension and humour in such a stylish, elegant way. It’s genius!
What's your favourite thing about the character in your shortlisted book?
All my characters reflect a different part of me, and Geoffrey is no exception. I’ve always been a worrier, and as a child would get frequent “tummy aches” which were borne of anxiety. And like Geoffrey, I do enjoy wearing woolly hats.
Which picture book would you give as a gift to your main character, and why?
I think Geoffrey could do with having a laugh, so I’d give him a copy of A Duck Called Brian by Al Murphy, which is a very funny and weird little picture book.
Thank you so much, Nadia! Good luck to you, and all of our shortlist for next week’s big reveal!
