Become a guest judge !

A brand-new literary award is launching for young readers: The Children’s Booker Prize, supported by the AKO Foundation, will celebrate the very best fiction for children aged eight to 12 and aims to inspire a new generation to fall in love with reading. What makes this prize especially exciting is that children themselves will help choose the winner. A judging panel made up of both adults and young readers will decide the award, with acclaimed children’s author and current Waterstones Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce chairing the judges alongside actor and comedian Lolly Adefope and award-winning bookseller Sanchita Basu De Sarkar. The adult judges will select a shortlist of eight books, due to be announced on 24 November 2026, before being joined by three children from across the UK aged eight to 12, who will help choose the overall winner. The winning title will be revealed on 2 February 2027, with the aim of giving young readers a genuine voice and creating a prize that children can recommend directly to their peers.

We think this is a fantastic opportunity for book-loving children to get involved in the world of storytelling, discover new authors and share their opinions on the books they love. If you have an avid young reader at home who is passionate about fiction, this could be an unforgettable experience and a brilliant confidence boost too. We’d definitely encourage families to look into entering and giving children the chance to have their voices heard on a national stage.

The deadline to enter is Week 1 Term 6.