Walker and Newbery among shortlistees for Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 

Waterstones has announced its 2023 Children’s Book Prize shortlists, including works by Angharad Walker and Lee Newbery.

Waterstones’ expert booksellers vote for the books they believe are the very best in new children’s writing and illustration. The prize is now in its 19th year. 

Last year’s overall winner The Last Bear by Hannah Gold (HarperCollins Children’s Books) rose to the top of the bestseller charts after being awarded the prize and saw an increase in sales of 434% across the Waterstones estate, according to the retailer.

The Illustrated Books category includes Rizzle Kicks’ Jordan Stephens’ debut The Missing Piece, illustrated by Beth Suzanna (Bloomsbury Children’s Books), a picture book that explores how to overcome feelings of isolation, and Gretel the Wonder Mammoth by Kim Hillyard (Penguin Random House Children’s), which looks at anxiety and how to ask for help if feeling overwhelmed. 

In the Younger Readers category is The Last Firefox by Lee Newbery (Penguin Random House Children’s), described as a warm-hearted adventure, alongside Small! by Hannah Moffatt (Everything with Words). The Older Readers category sees Angharad Walker’s Once Upon a Fever (Chicken House) vying against Welcome to St Hell, the first ever graphic novel memoir shortlisted, which tells Lewis Hancox’s story of transition and learning to become his happiest self (Scholastic). The full shortlists can be found below. 

Florentyna Martin, Waterstones head of children’s, said: “Books have the magical power to aid personal development in safe, supportive spaces, whether readers are exploring on the page or visiting a bookshop. 

“With the rise in mental health topics in children’s books, and studies showing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and social media on young people’s wellbeing, it is notable that we see reflections on mental health and identity on the shortlists. Our booksellers have chosen a list of exceptional new writing that offers something for everyone.”

The shortlists consist of 18 books across three categories. Six books will compete within each category to be crowned Category Winner, with the three category winners then vying for the overall title of Waterstones Children’s Book Prize Winner 2023.

The winners will be announced at an evening ceremony on Thursday 30th March 2023. The winner of each category will receive £2,000, with the overall winner receiving an extra £3,000. In the event that the prize is awarded to a partnership, the prize money will be split equally between the joint winners. 

The full list of shortlisted titles (in alphabetical order by author) for the 2023 Prize are: 

Illustrated Books 

The Fairy Garden by Georgia Buckthorn, illustrated by Isabella Mazzanti (Ivy Kids) 
What Do You See When You Look At a Tree? by Emma Carlisle (Big Picture Press) 
I am NOT a Prince by Rachael Davis, illustrated by Beatrix Hatcher (Hachette Children’s Group) 
Gretel the Wonder Mammoth by Kim Hillyard (Penguin Random House Children’s) 
The Station Cat by Stephen Hogtun (DK) 
The Missing Piece by Jordan Stephens, illustrated by Beth Suzanna (Bloomsbury Children’s Books) 

Books for Younger Readers 

The Book of Stolen Dreams by David Farr (Usborne Publishing) 
Nura and the Immortal Palace by M T Khan (Walker Books Ltd) 
Small! by Hannah Moffatt (Everything with Words) 
The Last Firefox by Lee Newbery (Penguin Random House Children’s) 
Ajay and the Mumbai Sun by Varsha Shah (Chicken House) 
The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger by J T Williams, illustrated by Simone Douglas (Farshore) 

Books for Older Readers 

All That’s Left in the World by Erik J Brown (Hachette Children’s Group) 
Welcome to St Hell by Lewis Hancox (Scholastic) 
The Cats We Meet Along The Way by Nadia Mikail (Guppy Publishing) 
Ellie Pillai is Brown by Christine Pillainayagam (Faber & Faber) 
If You Still Recognise Me by Cynthia So (Stripes Publishing) 
Once Upon a Fever by Angharad Walker (Chicken House)