Longlists announced for the 2026 Diverse Book Awards
The longlists for the seventh Diverse Book Awards have been announced, with organisers hoping that these ‘outstanding books’ will be seen as essential reading on a national level, highlighting the outstanding diverse and inclusive books published by authors based in the UK and Ireland during 2025.
Abiola Bello, co-founder of The DBAs says, ‘We are in our seventh year of the Diverse Book Awards and it is one of the best things we’ve ever created. It is always so thrilling to see which books have been published the previous year and champion these amazing authors. We want to say a massive thank you to the authors, agents, publishers involved in the awards for your continued support and for publishing such amazing books!’
Helen Lewis, co-founder of The DBAs adds, ‘This year is bigger and better than ever with two new categories added (non-fiction) so I want to say a massive thank you to our amazing sponsors, authors and publishers who show up year after year for The Diverse Book Awards. We are so proud of these awards, and each of the longlisted authors and illustrators. Tracking who is getting votes on The Readers’ Choice Award is so much fun and I can’t wait to see who rises to the top thanks to the people’s vote!’
The Readers’ Choice Award is open now for votes.
Votes will close on 7th September 2026 and the winners will be confirmed at the awards party on 22nd October at Waterstones Piccadilly, London.
The Diverse Book Awards Longlist 2026
Picture Books
A Card for my Mum by Bashabi Fraser, Maanvi Kapur (Lantana Publishing)
Bessie’s Bees by Ana Gómez, George Kirk (Templar)
Carnival Queen by Donette Williams-Harry, Amélie-Anne Calmo (Little Tiger)
Cloud Boy by Gregg Stobbs (Oxford University Press)
Ibraheem’s Perfect Eid by Farhana Islam, Nabila Adani (Puffin)
My Rice is Best by Selina Brown, Maxwell A.Oginni (Puffin)
Noah’s New Home by Zeshan Akhter, Nabila Adani (Templar Books)
Little Rhino Lost by Candy Gourlay, Jamie Bauza (Otter Barry Books)
Super Nani and Captain Yaz by Saira Shah, Maria Gabriela Gama (Templar Books)
The Beautiful Layers of Me by Sophia Payne, Ruchi Mhasane (Walker Books)
The Bicycle by Patricia McCormick and Mevan Babakar, Yas Imamura (Farshore)
The Tour at School: Because you’re the new kid by Katie Clapham, Nadia Shireen (Walker Books)
Children’s Fiction
Champions of the Galaxy by Tolá Okogwu (Simon & Schuster Children’s Books)
How to Roller-Skate with One Leg by Ella Dove, Jennifer Jamieson (Orchard Books)
Kofi and the Brand New Vibe by Jeffrey Boakye (Faber & Faber)
My Name is Samim by Fidan Meikle (Kelpies/ Floris Books)
My Soul, A Shining Tree by Jamila Gavin (Farshore)
Naeli and the Secret Song by Jasbinder Bilan (Chicken House)
Nate Yu’s Blast from the Past by Maisie Chan (Piccadilly Press)
Runaways by E.L.Norry (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
Running My Own Race by Abena Eyeson (Nosy Crow)
Solving Crimes is NOT my Superpower by Nathanael Lessore, Simran Diamond Singh (Little Tiger)
Supa Nova by Chanté Timothy (Nosy Crow)
The Cheat Book Vol 2 by RAMZEE (Holder Children’s Books)
YOUNG ADULT
Girl, Ultra-Processed by Amara Sage (Faber & Faber)
Heartbreaker by Anika Hussain (Hot Key Books)
Love on Sight by Asli Jensen (Chicken House)
Mondays Are Murder by Ravena Guron (Usborne)
No One Keeps a Secret by Denise Brown (Hashtag Press)
Odd Girl Out by Tasneem Abdur-Rashid (David Fickling Books)
Roar by Manjeet Mann (Penguin Random House)
Stealing Happy by Brian Conaghan (Bloomsbury YA)
Tart by Becki Jayne Crossley (Bloomsbury YA)
The Girl with the Red Boots by Alex Wheatle (Hodder Children’s Books)
This Feast of a Life by Cynthia So (Little Tiger)
’Til Death by Busayo Matuluko (Simon and Schuster Children’s Books)
Picture Book/Children’s/YA Non Fiction
Different Like Us! Inspiring Real Stories from Kids Everywhere by Margaret Rooke (Jessica Kingsley Publishers)
History’s Most Epic Fails by Athena Kugblenu, Nicole Miles (Wren & Rook/Hachette)
It’s a Brave Young World by Anu Adebogun, Soofiya and Lila Cruz (Little Tiger)
One Diwali Day by Dev Kothari, Aditi Anand (Walker Books)
Ten Children Who Changed the World by Paterson Joseph, Rumbidzai Savanhu (Wren & Rook/Hachette)
The Endless Sea by Chi Thai, Linh Dao (Walker Books)
This is Us by Emily Hamilton (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
We Are Your Children by David Roberts (Two Hoots)
