Winners of the 2025 UKLA Book Awards

Congratulations – again – to Margaret McDonald whose debut novel, Glasgow Boys has been names as the 11-14+ category winner of the UKLA Book Awards, just over one week after winning the Carnegie Medal for Writing.  McDonald also won the Shadowing schools’ and student teachers’ vote. The judges praised her book for its ‘beautifully balanced dual narrative’ that is ‘authentic, raw and emotional’ and yet manages to be both ‘hopeful and inspirational’; concluding, ‘It should be a GCSE set text’.

Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf by Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin, was the winner in the 3-6+ category, also winning both the judges’ award and the Shadowers’ Choice Award. The judges felt the book had ‘transformed their understanding of autism’

The judges choose Hiba Noor Khan’s also highly praised debut Safiyyah’s War as their winner in the 7-10 category, describing it as ‘timely, important  and relevant to modern audiences’. Tom Percival won the Shadowers’ Choice Award with his illustrated novel, The Wrong Shoes.

The winner of the Information Books 3-14+ category was Brilliant Black British History, written by Atinuke  and illustrated by Kingsley Nebechi. This was praised as ‘an essential resource’ which ‘brilliantly challenged the narrative of history ‘ and combats the ‘white Eurocentric view’, providing evidence which is ‘fascinating and compelling’

The Shadowers’ Choice in this category was Slug Life, by Moesha Kellaway.

For UKLA, the judging process and providing classroom practitioners with the opportunity to read high quality new children’s books is as important as finding an overall winner. Research carried out by members of UKLA (Cremin et al 2008) clearly demonstrates the links between teachers’ knowledge of children’s books and the likelihood of pupils reading for pleasure. Despite this evidence, teachers are seldom given time to read new books or the funding to purchase them when they do.

From the 87 teacher judges involved in this unique process, twelve are nominated by their colleagues to go on to form the final judging panel. They read the shortlists from all four categories, regardless of the age group they teach, which adds a fascinating insight to the impassioned debate.  As judge Sarah Spikesley said: ‘Not only has this been the most fantastic opportunity to meet with colleagues to discuss books in real depth, but it has also reignited my passion for what we as teachers do. To recognise the power that books have and the impact they can have on the young people in our care.’ Fellow judge Liam Smaje concurred: ‘It has transformed reading across our school.’

The shortlists in full:

3-6+

Gina Kaminkski Saves the Wolf, written by Craig Barr-Green and illustrated by Francis Martin (Little Tiger Press)

There’s A Tiger on The Train, written by Mariesa Dulak and illustrated by Rebecca Cobb (Faber)

Mr Mornington’s Favourite Things, written and illustrated by Karen George (Welbeck)

Geoffrey Gets the Jitters, written and illustrated by Nadia Shireen (Puffin)

Listening to the Quiet, written by Cassie Silva and illustrated by Frances Ives (Lantana)

Salat in Secret, written by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow and illustrated by Hatem Aly (Andersen Press)

 

7-10+

The Final Year, written by Matt Goodfellow and illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton (Otter-Barry Books)

Stitch, written by Pádraig Kenny (Walker Books)

Code Name Kingfisher, written by Liz Kessler (Simon & Schuster)

Safiyyah’s War, written by Hiba Noor Khan (Andersen Press)

And I Climbed And I Climbed, written by Stephen Lightbown and illustrated by Shih-Yu Lin (Troika Books)

The Wrong Shoes, written and illustrated by Tom Percival (Simon & Schuster)

 

11- 14+

The Things We Leave Behind, written by Clare Furniss (Simon & Schuster)

The Boy Next Door, written by Jenny Ireland (Penguin)

If My Words Had Wings, written by Danielle Jawando (Simon & Schuster)

King of Nothing, written by Nathaneal Lessore (Hot Key Books)

Glasgow Boys, written by Margaret McDonald (Faber)

Keedie, written by Elle McNicoll (Knights Of)

Shortlist Information Books 3-14+

Brilliant Black British History, written by Atinuke and illustrated by Kingsley Nebechi (Bloomsbury)

Big Bad Wolf Investigates Fairy Tales, written by Catherine Cawthorne and illustrated by Sara Ogilvie (Bloomsbury)

Wild languages of Mother Nature, written by Gabby Dawnay and illustrated by Margaux Samson- Abadie (Wide Eyed Editions)

Slug Life, written and illustrated by Moesha Kellaway (Rocket Bird Books)

Homebody, written and illustrated by Theo Parish (Macmillan)

Stones and Bones, written by Rob Wilshaw and illustrated by Sophie Williams (Cicada)

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