Rashford, Sethi and McAnulty on Books Are My Bag Readers Awards shortlists

Marcus Rashford, Anita Sethi and Dara McAnulty are among the authors shortlisted by booksellers for this year's Books Are My Bag Readers Awards.

The annual awards, sponsored by National Book Tokens, see shortlists compiled by bookshops before being put out to a public vote.

Winners will be announced on 9th November at an awards ceremony at Foyles on Charing Cross Road, hosted by "Strictly Come Dancing" co-host and BBC Radio 2 presenter Claudia Winkleman. 

In fiction, Natasha Brown is nominated for Assembly (Hamish Hamilton), alongside Still Life by Sarah Winman (Fourth Estate), Panenka by Rónán Hession (Bluemoose Books) and The Appeal by Janice Hallett (Viper Books)

Sethi makes the non-fiction list for I Belong Here (Bloomsbury) which is up against The Power of Geography by Tim Marshall (Elliott & Thompson), Ancestors by Alice Roberts (Simon & Schuster) and The Book of Trespass by Nick Hayes (Bloomsbury).

In poetry Carol Ann Duffy is shortlisted for Empty Nest (Picador) where she will be vying against The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman (Chatto & Windus), Slug by Hollie McNish (Fleet) and The Heeding by Rob Cowen & Nick Hayes (Elliott & Thompson).

In YA fiction there are nods for The Great Godden by Meg Rosoff (Bloomsbury), The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud (Walker Books), Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé (Usborne) and All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O'Donoghue (Walker Books).

Children's fiction sees Show Us Who You Are by Elle McNicoll (Knights Of) compete against Amari and the Night Brothers by B B Alston (Farshore), By Ash, Oak and Thorn by Melissa Harrison (Chicken House) and When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle (Andersen Press).

The final category is for breakthrough authors, with a shortlist featuring Rashford, author of You Are A Champion with journalist Carl Anka (Macmillan Children’s Books), McAnulty, author of Wild Child, illustrated by Barry Falls (Macmillan Children’s Books), McNicoll for Show Us Who You Are (Knights Of) and Monique Roffey, author of The Mermaid of Black Conch (Vintage).

Commenting on the shortlists, Winkleman said: “I’m completely honoured to be hosting the Books Are My Bag Readers Awards this year, celebrating the shortlist of books that have been curated by booksellers and will be voted on by readers. Bookshops have been more important than ever before this past year, and I can’t wait to raise a glass to them face to face and celebrate a fantastic year for books.”

The public vote opens today, ahead of Bookshop Day on 9th October, to decide the winners across the six categories. The public are invited to vote for a winning title from each shortlist until 11 p.m. on 31st October, with the winners being announced on 9th November.