Jarvis and Sarah McIntyre longlisted for The Alligator’s Mouth Award 2024

Indies dominate the 10-strong longlist for The Alligator’s Mouth Award 2024 with Jarvis, Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre leading the nominations. 

Now in its sixth year, the children’s book prize created by The Alligator’s Mouth children’s bookshop and The Bright Agency, celebrates the best books for six to eight-year-olds, championing authors and illustrators of highly illustrated children’s fiction. 

The longlist includes two nods for Usborne: Izzy the Inventor and the Unexpected Unicorn written by Zanna Davidson, illustrated by Elissa Elwick and Tiny, the Secret Adventurer written by Aisha Bushby, illustrated by Kübra Teber. 

There are also two longlisted books from Zephyr, Head of Zeus’ children’s imprint: Man-Man and the Tree of Memories written by Yaba Badoe, illustrated by Joelle Avelino, and Bibi and the Box of Fairy Tales written by Vivian French, illustrated by Amy Grimes. 

Other nominated indies include Adventuremice: Otter Chaos by Reeve and McIntyre (David Fickling Books), Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories written and illustrated by Jarvis (Walker Books) and Blanksy the Street Cat written by Gavin Puckett, illustrated by Allen Fatimaharan (Faber) 

Also on the list is Little Tiger for Huxley and Flapjack: Race to the Rescue written by Alan MacDonald, illustrated by Francesca Gambatesa. Nosy Crow’s Princess Minna: The Best Princess written by Kirsty Applebaum, illustrated by Sahar Haghgoo, is also in the running. 

Flying the flag for the corporate publishers is Kate on the Case: The Headline Hoax written and illustrated by Hannah Peck (Bonnier Books).