About the IBC Awards
The Inclusive Books for Children Awards are currently closed for submissions. Do come back in August for an update on the 2025 prize.
While you wait, why not read about the IBC Awards 2024 winners? You can also watch our 2024 Awards ceremony on our YouTube channel.
The Prize
Free to enter and with a total winners’ prize fund of £30,000, the IBC Awards celebrate the talent behind the best new inclusive children’s books published in the UK.
We accept new books published in the UK each year, from November to November, in the following categories:
- Baby and toddler books (1–3)
- Picture books (3–7)
- Highly illustrated children’s fiction (5–9)
A £10,000 prize is shared between the author(s) and illustrator(s) in each category.
What we are looking for
Submissions are limited to stories except for the Baby and Toddler category (see Terms and conditions).
Books must also be naturally inclusive, including AT LEAST ONE of the following forms of representation at main-character level:
- Ethnic minority
- Disabled
- Neurodiverse
- LGBTQIA+
Judges will also consider whether books offer any of the following:
- An Own-Voice perspective (i.e. books by authors/illustrators who share the same cultural, ethnic or other identities as the characters they've created)
- A challenge to gender stereotypes
- Representation of diverse family structures (e.g. single-parent, blended or same-sex parent families)
- A diverse cast of characters beyond the main character
For more information on eligibility and how to submit, read our Terms and conditions.
Timeline
- Submissions open: September 2024
- Submissions close: October 2024
- Shortlist announced: January 2025
- Winners announced: March 2025
The above dates are TBC.