You Are a Champion

The final panel of judges crowned the winner of Children’s Non-Fiction Book of the Year, You Are a Champion, as The British Book Awards’ Overall Book of the Year. They felt it was an “authentic”, “singular” book that impressively retained Marcus Rashford’s voice.

Judges praised Rashford and co-author Carl Anka for “breaking the mould”, creating a book where the “supportive, moving” messages shone through to children of all ages. Macmillan’s publishing was commended by one judge as “one of the best pieces of publishing from 2021”. The judges agreed the campaign echoed Rashford’s beliefs with an impressive outreach programme that marked a “societal shift” in publishing and would change the lives of the children it reached.

The discussion was chaired by The Bookseller’s books editor Alice O’Keeffe and the judges included Gabby Logan, broadcaster and presenter; Lisa O’Kelly, associate books editor for the Observer New Review; author Irenosen Okojie; and Phil Henderson, former sales and marketing director at Blackwell’s. Ultimately, the panel felt You Are a Champion was entirely “of its moment” and a defining book of 2021.