Longlists for the 2027 UKLA Book Awards announced

The longlists for the UKLA Book Awards, the only national awards judged by teachers, have been announced. Tailored to be useful for teachers in schools across the UK, there are three age categories for fiction and poetry and a category for Information books. This year’s longlists feature books in translation, past winners, exciting debuts and cover a huge range of genres, topics and themes.

Awards sponsor, Nikki Gamble of The Reading Journey, says, ‘The UKLA Book Awards are significant not only for the recognition and celebration of high-quality literature for children, but also for the underpinning principle that teachers’ knowledge of children’s books is fundamental to creating readers in classrooms. At a time when there is much talk about a crisis in reading for pleasure, we should pause to reflect on the teachers who are helping to buck this trend and how they achieve positive outcomes.’

Judge, teacher Kerry Hudson, says, ‘ Longlisting is a highlight of my teaching calendar. I get to immerse myself in wonderful children’s literature, in all its richness and diversity. It provides the opportunity to discuss with colleagues, challenge opinions and think of how the texts could be used in the classroom. I always end the process with a renewed excitement for the forthcoming school year, full of books to share with colleagues and my children alike, and characters and storylines that stay with me long after they have been read.’

Longlist 3-6+

Aya Has Never Seen a Bear by Gerelchimeg Blackcrane, translated by Paul Qiao and Helen Mixter, illustrated by Jiu’er (Greystone Kids)

Bear’s Nap by Emily Gravett (Two Hoots)

Broken by X.Fang (Pushkin Press)

Cranky, Crabby Crow ( Saves the World) by Corey R. Tabor(Greenwillow Books)

Ellie Has a Secret by Amelia Bothe (Clarion Books)

Five Little Friends by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Fiona Woodcock (Walker Books)

George and Lenny Are Always Together by Jon Agee (Scallywag Press)

If You Make a Call on a Banana Phone by Gideon Sterer, illustrated by Emily Hughes (Clarion Books)

King School by Alexis Deacon (Otter-Barry  Books)

Monkeypig by Huw Aaron (Puffin)

Mo’s Stick by Fiona Lumbers (Little Tiger Press)

Oh Dear, Look What I Got by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (Walker Books)

Once Upon a Time in the Woods by Anthony Browne (Puffin)

Raindrops by Robin Boyden (Farshore)

The Lost Robot by Joe Todd-Stanton (Flying Eye Books)

The Sleeper Train by Mick Jackson, illustrated by Baljinder Kaur (Walker Books)

The Tour at School by Katie Clapham, illustrated by Nadia Shireen (Walker Books)

To Activate Space Portal Lift Here by Antoinette Portis (Scallywag Press)

Unexpected Guests by Mariajo Ilustrajo (Frances Lincoln Childrens Books)

When Tad Kicked Vlad by Julian Gogh and illustrated by Ross Collins (Faber)

Longlist 7-10+

Birdlands by Anthony McGowan (Rock the Boat)

Boy Vs Reality by James Fox (Scholastic)

Cabin Head and Tree Head by Scott Campbell (DK Flip)

Everything In Between Shagufta K.Iqbal (Troika Books)

Gloam by Jack Mackay, illustrated by Ben Joel Price (Rock the Boat)

I Am Ray’s Imaginary Friend by Brian Moses, illustrated by Bethan Welby (Scallywag Press)

Korobá The Case of the Missing Kolo by Àlàbá Ònájìn (Scallywag Press)

Letters From the Upside by Katya Balen (Bloomsbury)

Minotaur Boy by Shane Hegarty and illustrated by Ruby Fresson (DK Flip)

Nate Yu’s Blast from the Past by Maisie Chan (Piccadilly Press)

Runaways by E.L.Norry (Bloomsbury)

Small Wonder by Ross Montgomery (Walker Books)

The Blitz Sisters by Judith Eagle (Faber)

The Dawn of Adonis by Phil Earle (Andersen Press)

The Experiment by Rebecca Stead (Andersen Press)

The Feathered Book by Charlie Nutbrown (Everything with Words)

The Lions’ Run by Sara Pennypacker (Hodder)

The Monsters at the End of the World by Rebecca Orwin.(Puffin)

The Night I Borrowed Time by Iqbal Hussein (Puffin)

Two is a Crowd by Cath Howe (Nosy Crow)

 

Longlist 11- 14+

A Million Tiny Missiles All at Once by Lucas Maxwell (Chicken House)

Always Angel by Kimberly Whittam (Usborne)

Best of all Worlds by Kenneth Oppel (Guppy Books)

Day of Now by Miranda Reason (Bloomsbury)

Dead Straight Line by Malcolm Duffy (Zephyr)

Gone for Good by Sarah Crossan (Simon & Schuster)

My Name is Jodie Jones by Emma Shevah (David Fickling Books)

Not Going to Plan by Tia Fisher (Hot Key Books)

On the Edge by Nicola Garrard (Old Barn Books)

Pearl Beach by Beth Steiner (Pushkin Press)

Phoenix Brothers by Sita Brahmachari (OUP)

Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman (Hot Key Books)

Roar by Manjeet Mann (Penguin)

Runaway Road by Sue Divin (First Ink)

Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley (Rock the Boat)

Tadpole Summer by Catherine Bruton (Nosy Crow)

The Danger of Small Things by Caryl Lewis (Simon & Schuster)

The Last Death Poet by Stephen Daly (Rock the Boat )

Thirst by Darren Simpson (Pushkin Press)

Tom Burne has Left the Chat by Seán Farrelly (Faber)

                             

Longlist Information Books 3-14+

A Natural History of Bums by The Crab Museum and illustrated by Inga Ziemele (Wide Eyed Editions)

A River Running Through You by Amy-Jane Beer and illustrated by Elin Manon (Magic Cat Publishing)

Bust or Trust – A Kid’s Mystery Book by Small Wardour and illustrated by Sam Peet (Words & Pictures)

Dance of Resistance by Catherine Johnstone and illustrated by Katie Hickey (Barrington Stoke)

Dangerous Animals Survival Guide by Sam Hume. (Collins)

Flush it Down: The Story of Sewers Through Time by Rob Flowers (Cicada)

Let’s Explore Pigeons by Siski Kalla (Catch a Leaf Publishing)

Making It Up as You Go Along by Patricia Forde and illustrated by Mary Murphy (Little Island)

Mixed: Explore and Celebrate Your Mixed Identity by Emma Slade Edmondson (Rocket Fox)

Quantum! The Strange Science of the Smallest Stuff in the Universe by Christopher Edge, illustrated by Paul Daviz (Walker Books)

Scream If You Wanna Go Faster: The History and Science of Amusement Parks by Peter Morris and illustrated by Roozeboos (Cicada)

Shoes! A Footwear Fashion Frolic by Anna Davies, illustrated by Daisy Wynter (Cicada)

Start Small, Think Big: Small Shiny Dung Beetle by Mary Auld, illustrated by Hannah Bailey (Mama Makes Books)

The Cave Explorer by Kate Winter (Puffin)

The History of We by Nikkolas Smith (Rock the Boat)

The Shipwreck Atlas by Jo Arnold, illustrated by Philip Harris (Wide Eyed Editions)

The Story of Portraits by Mick Manning, illustrated by Brita Granström (Franklin Watts)

The Week Junior Guide to Politics Catherine Brereton (Bloomsbury Education)

Whale Song by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Britta Teckentrup (Walker Books)

Your Planet Needs You by Elizabeth Laird  and Will McDowall and illustrated by Paul Boston (Walker Books)

Awards Chair, Christine Lockwood, says, ‘Our four teams of longlisting judges, one for each Book Awards category, have been reading non-stop over a hot summer.  From the many wonderful books submitted by publishers, they have chosen a selection of twenty brilliant books per category to present to our four teams of teacher judges at a launch meeting in Manchester on September 19th.  These books now pass to the 89 teacher judges to read, share with their colleagues and classes, and discuss in depth within their Book Groups.  In March we will meet again, to decide on shortlists of six per category – I know that the teacher judges are going to have a wonderful time!’