The shortlists for the 2025 Barnes & Noble Children’s & YA Book Awards have been announced. This is the fifth year of these awards that offer prizes in three categories. The shortlists are below:

PICTURE BOOKS

All the Books by Hayley Rocco, illustrated by John Rocco

The Bakery Dragon by Devine Elle Kurtz

Be Careful, Xiao Xin! by Alice Pung, illustrated by Sher Rill Ng

Hedgehogs Don’t Wear Underwear by Marissa Valdez

A Little Like Magic by Sarah Kurpiel

Stalactite & Stalagmite by Drew Beckmeyer

YOUNG READERS

Afia in the Land of Wonders by Mia Araujo

Away by Megan E. Freeman

The Flicker by HE Edgmon

The House at the Edge of Magic by Amy Sparkes

The Other Side of Tomorrow by Tina Cho

Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna

YOUNG ADULT

Don’t Let the Forest In by CG Drews

Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma

Never Thought I’d End Up Here by Ann Liang

Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven

These Vengeful Gods by Gabe Cole Novoa

They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran