Magic Cat crowned Small Press of the Year at 2024 British Book Awards

London children’s publisher Magic Cat Publishing has been crowned winner of the Small Press of the Year Award at The British Book Awards 2024. 

The win was announced at a ceremony at Grosvenor House London on Monday (13th May).

The specialist children’s press fought off nine other regional and country winners for the prize, which is sponsored by CPI books. The winners were selected from 55 finalists from across the UK and Ireland.

Organisers said: “If the press continues on its current trajectory, this could be the final year that Magic Cat Publishing is eligible for entry into the Small Press category, with an estimated turnover of more than £5m in 2024. As with many new small presses, the two urgent issues of diversity and sustainability have been at Magic Cat’s core since the start.  

“A third of last year’s front-list had an author or illustrator from an ethnic minority background and there have been concerted efforts to make print and production greener. Support for staff wellbeing, apprentices and charities show this is a business that is interested in much more than the bottom line.”

The company also collected the CPI Independent Publisher of the Year Award at the 2024 Independent Publishing Awards (IPA) last month, signed a book from Robert Macfarlane and Johnny Flynn, and announced Polly Whybrow as its new editor-at-large.   

Raksha Dave’s Lessons From Our Ancestors, illustrated by Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong and published by Magic Cat, won the Discover Book of the Year category at the ceremony, in what has typically been a adult-dominated award.

Philip Jones, editor of The Bookseller and chair of judges, said: “I was delighted that Magic Cat won in possibly its final year of being able to win. Founders Rachel Williams and Jenny Broom have shown that once again they are able to tap into existing markets and drive into new areas of publishing with their relentless focus on quality and discovering new writers and illustrators.

“They are true publishers, commercial and creative, agile and ambitious. As with many small presses this year, Magic Cat’s success shows how the market remains receptive to smart publishing, whatever its origin story.”   

The trade judges for The British Book Awards 2024 added: “Magic Cat already looks like a fully fledged independent publishing group. It’s a really lively business that is looking after its people and working hard across the board – there’s so much to admire.” 

Tanya Dunbar, managing director at CPI Books, said: “Magic Cat has had another brilliant year. For a publisher in its fourth year of trading the entry was standout making them a clear winner of the Small Press category. Year on year revenue growth from UK and overseas sales and number of front-list titles published made their entry impossible to ignore.  

“A well-deserved accolade for a relatively new publisher and innovative team who will undoubtedly outgrow this category in 2024.”