2026 Inclusive Books for Children Awards
Six female authors have been named winners of the 2026 Inclusive Books for Children (IBC) awards, recognizing inclusive UK-published titles for children aged one to nine. This marks the second instance since the awards' inception in 2023 that all recipients have been women.
The winning authors and illustrators will collectively receive a substantial £30,000 prize fund.
They are scheduled to present their work at the Hay festival in May.
Award Categories and Winners
The 2026 IBC awards celebrate diverse storytelling across specific categories:
- Children’s fiction: Supa Nova by Chanté Timothy, a graphic novel focusing on a young Black girl with an interest in science.
- Picture book: The Beautiful Layers of Me by Sophia Payne and Ruchi Mhasane, which narrates a young girl's development of confidence to wear a salwar kameez.
- Baby and toddler: Let’s Play by Alex Strick, Annie Kubler, and Sarah Dellow, a touch-and-feel book that incorporates words in signs and braille.
A panel comprising educators, authors, and illustrators selected the winning titles. Judge Mei Matsuoka observed that inclusivity was integrated into the stories effectively.
IBC stated that judges acknowledged the winners for "compelling storytelling, strong visual composition and authentic representation."
Young Voices Honoured: The Inaugural Children's Choice Awards
The inaugural children’s choice awards were initiated as a pilot program to supplement the main prize. These winners were determined by votes from primary school pupils nationwide.
The winners in this category were:
- Won’t Go! by Sumana Seeboruth and Fotini Tikkou
- Cloud Boy by Greg Stobbs
- Main prize winner Supa Nova
Contextual Information and Industry Insights
The announcement of the winners coincides with the government’s National Year of Reading campaign, which aims to promote reading among children by aligning with their interests. This initiative follows concerning research.
The National Literacy Trust indicates that reading enjoyment among children and young people aged eight to 18 is at its lowest recorded level.
A report issued by IBC last year showed a troubling decline in the representation of Black main characters in children’s books.
The report noted that only 1.9% (51 out of 2,721) of surveyed books in 2024 featured a Black main character, a decrease of 21.5% compared to 2023. IBC characterized these findings as a "catastrophic decline in Black representation" and indicated that the report revealed "stark inequalities" within UK children’s publishing.