Inclusive Books for Children logo

Meet the winners: Adeola Sokunbi

Interviewed by Kristel Buckley

The 2025 IBC Awards recently announced the winner of their Highly Illustrated Children’s Fiction category.

British-born, debut author-illustrator Adeola Sokunbi won the award with her irresistible chapter book, Destiny Quest: Sleepover Surprise.

Published by Nosy Crow in collaboration with inclusive fiction studio Storymix, this delightfully sweet story is the first in a fresh and fun new series centring a memorable and lovable Black main character, Destiny Ink.

The book is perfectly pitched for newly independent readers aged 5 to 9, with a lively yet easy-to-follow storyline (light jeopardy) and a relatable, well-observed portrayal of childhood worries, big transitions and out-of-this-world friendships.

As a quick read, it also features short chapters, larger font format, engaging comic-style illustrations and quirky graphics.

Introducing Adeola Sokunbi

Watch our exclusive video with Adeola to learn more about her, her wonderful protagonist, Destiny Ink, and what winning the IBC Awards means to her as a debut author-illustrator.

Click on the video link below to enjoy the exclusive inktastic interview:

Why the IBC Awards matter

The IBC Awards celebrate outstanding UK-published inclusive children’s books and the talent behind them.

Now in their second year, the awards continue to focus on books captivating the imagination of younger readers aged 1 to 9, during their formative years. This seems particularly important right now as children’s daily reading enjoyment appears to be declining with age, according to research by the National Literacy Trust.

Fuelling children’s lifelong love of reading early on is more crucial than ever, and chapter books like Destiny Ink: Sleepover Surprise certainly meet this need.

This exciting new series will motivate reluctant and less confident readers to stick with reading for longer, and to enjoy it!

Find out more about the award-winning Destiny Ink: Sleepover Surprise

Whether you’re a parent, teacher or librarian looking to introduce young children to new inclusive books, this early reader would make a great addition to your child’s bookshelves.

Don’t forget to check out the video above to hear directly from Adeola!

Destiny Ink: Sleepover Surprise by Adeola Sokunbi is published by Nosy Crow.

Share on