Winners have been named for the inaugural Inclusive Books for Children Prize, the Bookseller reported. The prize is hosted by Inclusive Books for Children, a charity founded by Marcus and Sarah Satha in 2022 that offers a website for families to help them choose books for a more inclusive bookshelf. This year's three category winners, who each receive £10,000 (about $12,615), are:
Baby and toddler: Too Green! by Sumana Seeboruth, illustrated by Maribel Castells, which "features an ethnically diverse family and LGBTQIA+ representation," the judges said.
Picture book: You're So Amazing! by James & Lucy Catchpole, illustrated by Karen George, which "offers disabled representation, written from an Own-Voice perspective, as well as a diverse cast."
Children's fiction: Meet the Maliks, Twin Detectives: The Cookie Culprit by Zanib Mian, illustrated by Kyan Cheng, which "features Muslim South Asian representation, an extended family and is an Own-Voices story."
Awards judge Jeffrey Boakye said: "Being on the judging panel for the Inclusive Books for Children Awards has reminded me just how vital it is for there to be a range of voices and experiences within children's publishing. The shortlist alone provides a powerful example of how rich children's publishing can be once it welcomes a diverse breadth of narratives and perspectives. These books are joyous and celebratory, while also countering the limited perspectives that can come from dominant narratives."
Fabia Turner, head of content at IBC, commented: "There's so much rich experience, authentic representation and pure joy to be found in the pages of these stories. Huge congratulations to the winners, the shortlisted authors and illustrators, and everyone else involved in making our 2024 awards such a great success."