What are the IBC Children’s Choice Awards?
In the autumn term, IBC opens the Children’s Choice Awards, an exciting shadowing scheme for our IBC Awards, where children act as 'official' judges, reading the shortlisted books and voting on their favourites.
The scheme aims to engage children in fun and enjoyable reading activities that mirror the IBC Awards process.
Who can participate?
Children in any setting can participate, facilitated by an adult. For example, any teacher, librarian, parent or caregiver can register to participate in the Children’s Choice Awards on behalf of one child or a group.
What age range is this for?
Children of any age can take part in the Children’s Choice Awards with adult direction. There are three book award categories to choose from:
- Baby & Toddler Books (1–3)
- Picture Books (3–7)
- Highly Illustrated Children’s Fiction (6–9)
Age brackets are for loose guidance only. In particular, children aged 7 and over are welcome to participate in the Picture Book shadowing process. Likewise, children aged 9 and over can take part in Children’s Fiction shadowing.
How to participate?
- Register for the Children’s Choice Awards by clicking the [colour] button below to fill out a short form. Registration opens XX September 2025 and closes on 11 January 2026.
- Buy the books
- If you are a school or library and ordering via Peters, our official supply partner, preorder your IBC Children’s Choice Awards book pack [here]
- If you are ordering from anywhere else, check your inbox on Monday, 12 January 2026, for the announcement of the shortlisted titles
- Read the books
- You have 5 weeks to read 5 books, from 12 January to 16 February 2026.
- Vote on your winner!
The deadline for casting your vote is Monday 16 January 2026.
[Something about downloadable/support materials here?... need to pinpoint who is doing what between IBC and Peters - do winners get to come to the awards ceremony??]
Sign up for the IBC Children’s Choice Awards!
Winners and prizes
The authors and illustrators of the winning books will be announced at the IBC Awards ceremony on Wednesday 25 February 2026 at London Southbank Centre.
Each winner will be presented with a trophy and the gift of an IBC Book Box, worth £600, will be made in their name to the school of their choice. The ceremony will take place in the evening and will be livestreamed.
Participants in the IBC Children’s Choice Awards will be sent a video message from the winners a few days after the ceremony.
I would love to participate, but my organisation doesn’t have the budget
There are 10 free sets of shortlisted books available to applicants who make a compelling case for receiving them. Complete [this short form] to apply.
What are the IBC Awards, and why are we launching the Children’s Choice Awards?
As a registered literacy charity, we aim to help parents, teachers and librarians source diverse and inclusive books for children. Our annual IBC Awards highlight outstanding new children’s literature for the under-9s in three categories, rewarding children’s authors and illustrators with a shared prize fund of £30K.
This year, we are launching our Children’s Choice Awards in tandem with the main book awards. This shadowing scheme is designed to excite children about reading, motivating them to engage with a broader range of books.
The scheme follows the recent release of The National Literacy Trust’s annual reading survey, which suggests children and young people’s reading for pleasure is at its lowest level in two decades, with only ‘1 in 3 (32.7%) children and young people aged 8 to 18’ saying they ‘enjoyed reading in their free time in 2025’, a 36% drop since 2005.
For more information about IBC and the work we do, check out our About us page, inclusive book reviews, recommendations and thematic booklists curated by experts.
Got questions?
Find out everything you need to know in our IBC Children’s Choice FAQs.
If you still have questions, email sophie@inclusivebooksforchildren.org.