Day: May 13, 2025

2025 British Book Awards

| Tasha

The winners of the 2025 British Book Awards have been announced. The awards are given in a variety of categories. Below are the youth-focused categories and you can see the entire list here.

CHILDREN’S FICTION

WINNER

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess by Jeff Kinney (available in US)

SHORTLIST

I Am Rebel by Ross Montgomery (available in US)

The Majorly Awkward BFF Dramas of Lottie Brooks by Katie Kirby

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson (available in US)

Reckless by Lauren Roberts (available in US)

A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal (available in US)

CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATED BOOK

WINNER

Jonty Gentoo: The Adventures of a Penguin by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (available in US)

SHORTLIST

Bunny vs. Monkey: The Great Big Glitch by Jamie Smart

Dog Man 12: The Scarlet Shedder by Dav Pilkey (available in US)

Letters from the North Pole by Annie Atkins (available in US)

Pablo and Splash by Sheena Dempsey (available in US)

There’s a Poonami in My House by Chris Ramsey

CHILDREN’S NONFICTION

WINNER

Wilding: How to Bring Wildlife Back by Isabella Tree, illustrated by Angela Harding (available in US)

SHORTLIST

Hamza’s Wild World by Hamza Yassin

The History of Information by Chris Haughton

Science is Lit by Big Manny

Taylor Swift by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara (available in US)

The World to Come by Robert Macfarlane and Johnny Flynn, illustrated by Emily Sutton (available in US)

Firefly Season by Cynthia Leitich Smith – Book Review

| Tasha

Firefly Season by Cynthia Leitich Smith, illustrated by Kate Gardiner (9780063274440)

Piper loves spending time with her cousins and family in Cherokee Nation fishing, dancing, and learning to speak Mvskoke. Back home, Piper has a new neighbor, Sumi who is a few years younger. The two girls start a friendship, spending lots of time together. Then Piper’s parents decide to move away. The two girls are sad but keep in touch. Until Piper’s mother has a great idea to bring them closer together.

In the strong tradition of found sisters and family, this picture book celebrates both family connections and those we find along the way. The illustrations capture both nature and also the natural postures and facial expressions of the characters in a way that connects readers to the page.

A big-hearted book about friends who become family. Appropriate for ages 5-9.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Heartdrum.