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.”