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The prestigious Booker Prize organizers have recently introduced a new award specifically for children’s fiction, set to involve a panel of both child and adult judges. Known as the Children’s Booker Prize, this new accolade will debut in 2026 and will be granted annually starting in 2027, with a focus on recognizing outstanding contemporary fiction aimed at children aged between eight and 12 years old.
Frank Cottrell-Boyce, the UK Children’s Laureate renowned for works like the widely acclaimed Millions from 2004, has been appointed as the first chair of judges for the inaugural year in 2027. Expressing his excitement, he stated, “I am absolutely buzzing about the news that I’m going to be chairing the judging panel. It’s going to be – as they say – absolute scenes in there. Let the yelling commence.”
The selection process for the Children’s Booker Prize will involve Cottrell-Boyce and two other adult judges shortlisting eight books, following which three children will join to participate in determining the winning book. Gaby Wood, the chief executive of the Booker Prize Foundation, emphasized the significance of this new award, highlighting its potential to promote future literary classics and inspire a greater interest in reading among young people.
Renowned authors and former Children’s Laureates like Dame Jacqueline Wilson and Anne Fine have expressed their support for the Children’s Booker Prize, hailing it as a fantastic initiative that will boost the recognition of children’s literature. Similar to its counterparts, the Booker Prize and International Booker Prize, this award will offer £2,500 to each shortlisted author and a grand prize of £50,000 to the winner. Submissions for the award will be accepted starting in spring 2026, with the remaining two adult judges set to be announced later. The shortlist and winning selection will be unveiled in the following months, culminating in the prize presentation at an event for young readers in February 2027
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