The shortlist for the 2025 An Post Irish Book Awards has been announced. The awards celebrate the best of Irish writing across a variety of genres and categories. Below are the shortlisted titles for the juvenile categories:

CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR – JUNIOR

An Fia sa Choill by Sadhbh Devlin, Anastasia Melynkova (not available in US)

Badger Books by Paddy Donnelly

Don’t Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson, illustrated by Dan Santat

Ellora McGee Trainee Banshee by Sinéad O’Hart

Letters to a Monster by Patricia Forde, illustrated by Sarah Warburton

Once I Was a Tree by Eoin McLaughlin, illustrated by Guilherme Karsten (coming to US in March 2026)

Penguin TV by Niamh Sharkey, illustrated by Owen Churcher

Run Home, Little Fox by Tom McCaughren & Erika McGann, Illustrated by Shannon Bergin (not available in US)

CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR – SENIOR

Animalopedia by John and Kathi Burke

Conn of the Dead by Dave Rudden and Ali Al Amine (not available in US)

The Doomsday Club by Kevin Moran

Granny National by Rachael Blackmore with Rachel Pierce

Milly McCarthy and the Haunted House HullaBOOloo by Leona Forde, illustrated by Karen Harte

Nina Peanut: Epic World Tour Era by Sarah Bowie

TEEN/YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE YEAR

Any Way You Slice It by Méabh McDonnell

Matched Up by Jenny Ireland

My Name Is Jodie Jones by Emma Shevah

The Rebel and the Rose by Catherine Doyle (releasing in US on December 2)

Solo by Gráinne O’Brien

Shipshock by Caroline O’Donoghue