OUP and Walker Books dominate The Alligator’s Mouth Award longlist

Ten books have been longlisted for The Alligator’s Mouth Award, which champions authors and illustrators of highly illustrated children’s fiction, with Oxford University Press (OUP) and Walker Books receiving two nominations each. 

Celebrating its fifth 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.

Among longlisted authors and illustrators are Swapna Haddow, Sheena Dempsey, Alex Milway, Katherine Woodfine and Rebecca Cobb. Haddow is longlisted alongside illustrator Dempsey for Bad Panda: The Cake Escape (Faber Children’s), while Woodfine is longlisted with illustrator Cobb for Elisabeth and the Box of Colours (Little Gems, Barrington Stoke).

Also up for the prize are: Big Sky Mountain: The Forest Wolves written and illustrated by Alex Milway (Piccadilly Press, Bonnier Books UK); Marv and the Pool of Peril written by Alex Falase-Koya and illustrated by Paula Bowles (OUP); Mike Falls Up written by Candy Gourlay and illustrated Carles Ballesteros (Little Tiger); and Ollie Spark and the Accidental Adventure written by Gillian Cross and illustrated by Alan Snow (David Fickling Books).

Princess Minna: The Enchanted Forest written by Kirsty Applebaum and illustrated by Sahar Haghgoo (Nosy Crow) is also up for the prize; alongside Rex: Dinosaur in Disguise written and illustrated by Elys Dolan (Walker Books); Rudy and the Wolf Cub written by Paul Westmoreland and illustrated by George Ermos (OUP); and Sona Sharma: a Friend Indeed written by Chitra Soundar and illustrated by Jen Khatun (Walker Books).

Children’s author Nizrana Farook joined the judging panel this year, alongside last year’s winner Pippa Curnick. Curnick won the 2022 award with Indigo Wilde and the Creatures at Jellybean Crescent (Hodder Children’s Books). Joining them on the judging panel is primary school teacher and children’s book consultant Scott Evans, and co-owners of The Alligator’s Mouth children’s bookshop, Margaret Wallace-Jones and Tony West.

Farook commented: “I’m thoroughly enjoying being a judge on this amazing award. It hasn’t been easy choosing a longlist! But we’ve managed to pick 10 titles after much deliberation, and what a list it is! Fun, feelings, humour, action – there’s something for everyone here.”

Tony West and Margaret Wallace-Jones of The Alligator’s Mouth said: “This is our fifth year celebrating exciting and funny illustrated fiction that helps children become confident readers. The Alligator’s Mouth Award continues to highlight the excellent publishers, authors and illustrators who create these brilliant books, which should be in all school libraries far and wide. We hope you enjoy our 2023 longlist.”

Books wholesaler Gardners returns as an official partner of the award and are offering independent bookshops across the UK up to 50% discount on all 10 longlisted titles from the 29th March 2023 until the end of July 2023.

The award is  also working with Fun Kids, the UK’s only National radio station for six to 12-year-olds, and Coram Beanstalk, the national reading charity, to run a special competition giving school libraries a chance to win the longlisted titles. The competition will run in April 2023, and schools can find out more and enter via the Coram Beanstalk site. The shortlist will be announced in May 2023 and the winner will be announced in July 2023.