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Terms and conditions

All your questions about the IBC Awards answered below.

  1. Only first-edition hardback and paperback books published for the first time between 1 November 2025 and 31 October 2026 inclusive by a traditional UK-based publisher/imprint are eligible
  2. Previously, hardcover books were only eligible if the paperback versions were not due to be published in paperback within a year. This rule has been dropped, and all hardbacks published within the stipulated timeframe are now eligible. Paperback versions of hardcover books ineligible in 2026 due to the old rule will also be eligible for the 2027 Awards
  3. Authors and illustrators (the creators) must be over 18 and AT LEAST ONE creator must be a British-born citizen or fully resident in the UK at the time of entering. It is the publisher’s responsibility to establish their authors/illustrators’ status in this respect before submitting a book
  4. Publishers should obtain any necessary consent from creators before submitting their books
  5. Publishers (and imprints) may submit multiple entries
  6. Audio- and digital-first formats are eligible, provided the book is generally available in print format between the above eligibility dates
  7. ALL baby and toddler book genres and formats are eligible
  8. Rhyming picture book stories are eligible
  9. Middle-grade books are not eligible. Books for the Children’s Fiction category must be highly illustrated and sit firmly within the 5–7,  6–8 or 7–9 age ranges 
  10. Graphic novels are eligible
  11. Story collections and story anthologies are eligible
  12. Banded readers are not eligible
  13. Books cannot be reissues
  14. English translations of works written originally in any other language are not eligible 
  15. Self-published books are not eligible, where the author is the publisher or a company has been specifically set up to publish a particular book/series 
  16. Co-published works are not eligible
  17. If proofs are submitted, final copies should be sent as soon as they are available 
  18. IBC may call in a book that hasn’t been submitted, provided it meets the eligibility criteria, subject to the publisher’s agreement

Fee

19. There is no entry fee

Deadlines

20. The submissions window opens at 00.01 (UK time) on Friday 7 August 2026, and the deadline for submissions is 23:59 (UK time) on Thursday 17 September 2026. Entries received before or after the submission window will not be considered

Prize

21. The prize fund is worth £30,000 in total, comprising a £10,000 prize in each of the three age categories; authors and illustrators of the winning book in each category will share the £10,000

Promotion

22. The longlist will be published on the IBC website and social media and publicists of longlisted titles will be notified in advance

23. The shortlist will be published on the IBC website and social media. Publicists of shortlisted titles will be notified in advance

24. Winners will be announced at our awards ceremony in February 2027

25. Winners and shortlisted writers must be willing to participate in promotional/media opportunities during and after the competition

Judging

26. The judges’ decisions are final — no correspondence shall be entered into

27. Inclusive Books for Children reserves the right not to award a prize should a suitable winner not be found, and reserves the right to change these Terms and Conditions without notice

How to submit (for publishers)

28. Complete our online entry form by 23.59 (UK time) on Thursday 17 September 2026.

29. You must complete a new form for each book submitted — include a PDF file of each book and high-res image of each book cover.

30. Additionally, you must post 8 hard copies of each book, arriving no later than Tuesday 22 September 2026, unless an exemption has been agreed by IBC

31. If a book is longlisted, publishers will be required to send 2 further copies, gratis, for promotional purposes

32. If a book is shortlisted, publishers will be required to send 4 further copies, gratis. (Note: copies of printed books will not be returned.)

33. If, with the publisher’s permission, IBC calls in a book that has not been submitted, publishers will be asked to complete an entry form and submit PDF and physical copies as above.

Please send all physical copies to the following address:

Inclusive Books for Children Awards

Suite 332,

56 Gloucester Road,

London

SW7 4UB

Contact us

If you experience any technical difficulties with your submission or have any other queries about the IBC Awards, email us at awards@inclusivebooksforchildren.org.