School Library Association Announce 2024 Information Book Award Shortlist
The School Library Association has announced the shortlist for the 2024 Information Book Award (IBA). Sponsored by Hachette Children’s Group (HCG), and supported by Peters, the IBA celebrates information books and supports school libraries to get the most out of them.
Now in its fourteenth year, the award is divided into three age categories. This year’s judges have selected a shortlist of twelve titles, with a focus on books which help children to find their place in the world by developing an understanding of the histories of society and culture, and their present-day relationships with others.
Pupils also get to vote for their favourites, with a Children’s Choice Winner in each of the three age categories. Children’s Choice voting opens now and will close on 15th October, with the winners announced in November.
The shortlist for each age category is:
Age 0-7
Darwin’s Super-Pooping Worm Spectacular, Polly Owen, illustrated by Gwen Millward (The Quarto Group)
Salat in Secret, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, illustrated by Hatem Aly (Andersen Press)
That’s Mathematics, Chris Smith (based on lyrics by Tom Lehrer), illustrated by Elīna Brasliņa (Mama Makes Books)
Welcome to Our Table: A Celebration of What Children Eat Everywhere, Laura Mucha & Ed Smith, illustrated by Harriet Lynas (Nosy Crow)
Age 8-12
Hear Our Voices, Radhika Natarajan & Chao Tayiana, illustrated by Alexander Mostov (The Quarto Group)
Human 2.0, Patrick Kane, illustrated by Samuel Rodriguez (Big Picture Press)
Lessons From Our Ancestors, Raksha Dave, illustrated by Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong (Magic Cat)
Unspoken, Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Dare Coulter (Andersen Press)
Age 13-16
How to Love: A Guide to Feelings & Relationships for Everyone, Alex Norris, illustrated by Alex Norris (Walker Books)
Lads, Alan Bissett (Hachette Childrens Group: Wren & Rook)
Story of Now, Shelina Janmohamed, illustrated by Laura Greenan (Hachette Children’s Group)
Welcome to the Arts: Dance, Alistair Spalding, illustrated by Jason Raish (Big Picture Press)
Chair of the judges, Margaret Pemberton, said, ‘It is exciting to see an expanding range of diverse themes and to have books which reinterpret the way we look at subjects such as nature and history.’ Her fellow judges are Helen Cleaves, Lucy Forrester, Jenny Griffiths and Andy Johnston.
Thanks to funding from the Authors Licensing and Copyright Society, the SLA is giving nearly 100 schools a free collection of the shortlisted titles through the IBA Book Club. The IBA Book Club offers pupils opportunities for positive engagement with information books, reading non-fiction for pleasure, book talk and reading as a social activity. All schools are invited to download the poster, use the learning resources and vote in the Children’s Choice.
The winners will be announced in November, at a ceremony hosted by Hachette Children’s Group.
The shortlisted books are available at a discounted price from Peters.
