Children’s books, awards, and school reading initiatives have dominated the news this summer. As teachers and parents look ahead to autumn, here’s what you might have missed from June and July 2025.
The Summer Reading Challenge launched on 21 June in Scotland and online, arriving two weeks later in England and Wales. This year’s theme, Story Garden – Adventures in Nature and the Great Outdoors, encourages children to explore the natural world through reading. The associated website offers book suggestions, activities, games, and quizzes designed to encourage reading over the holidays. Don’t forget to have browse through School Reading List’s extensive archive of summer reading challenge ideas and free downloadable resources.
Libraries are taking centre stage in other ways too. On 1 June, the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education officially joined the National Literacy Trust. The merger aims to boost literacy education in the UK and internationally, pooling resources, networks, and expertise. Meanwhile, the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust announced a National Year of Reading starting January 2026. Backed by more than 30 organisations, including Premier League and Arts Council England, the campaign will distribute 72,000 books to children in high-poverty areas. Even more organisations, including School Reading List, have signed up via the website.
The School Library Association has announced the shortlist for its annual awards. Candidates for Secondary School Librarian of the Year include Jill Fenton from Cheney School in Oxfordshire, Julie Broadbent from Northampton International Academy, and Gareth Evans from Abbeyfield School, Wiltshire. Primary libraries at Dorrington Academy in Birmingham, Mangotsfield Church of England Primary in Bristol, and Upton Meadows Primary in Northampton are competing for the Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year Award. Projects from Thomas A’ Becket Infant School in Worthing, Holmewood House School in Tunbridge Wells, and Alleyn’s Junior School in London have been shortlisted for the Enterprise Award, recognising initiatives that improve library provision.
In other literacy news, Poetry By Heart crowned its 2025 National Champions at Shakespeare’s Globe on 7 July. Winners included Laurissa Homawoo, Albie Costain, Anna Barwell, and Charlie Liddell. Over 128,000 young people participated, learning poems by heart and performing them for audiences nationwide.
In London, The Story Museum is launching The Story Arcade on 19 July. This interactive permanent gallery explores storytelling through video games, from Space Invaders to Never Alone, complete with custom-built arcade machines.
Several notable awards announced shortlists and winners. Ross Montgomery’s novel I Am Rebel won the 2025 Children’s Book Award, voted for entirely by children. Younger readers chose Grotti by Leonie Lord, and older readers picked Malcolm Duffy’s Seven Million Sunflowers. Nearly 30,000 votes were cast.
The Carnegie Medal for Writing went to Margaret McDonald, the youngest winner in the medal’s history, for Glasgow Boys. The Illustration Medal was awarded to Olivia Lomenech Gill for Clever Crow. Nathanael Lessore’s King of Nothing won the Carnegie Shadowers’ Choice Medal for Writing, while Theo Parish’s Homebody received the Shadowers’ Medal for Illustration.
McDonald’s Glasgow Boys also took the 11–14+ prize at the UKLA Awards, praised as authentic, emotional, and worthy of being a GCSE set text. Other UKLA winners included Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf by Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin for 3–6+ readers, and Safiyyah’s War by Hiba Noor Khan for 7–10-year-olds. Atinuke’s Brilliant Black British History topped the information category.
Glasgow Boys continued its successful run, securing the Branford Boase Award for outstanding debut novel. The prize, unique in honouring editors alongside authors, recognised McDonald and her editors Alice Swan and Ama Badu. It was McDonald’s third major award win this year.
Poetry’s only national accolade for published children’s work, CLiPPA, awarded Colossal Words for Kids by Colette Hiller, illustrated by Tor Freeman. The collection teaches ambitious vocabulary in verse. Over 400 schools participated in the CLiPPA Shadowing Scheme this year.
IBBY UK nominated author Michael Rosen and illustrator Emily Gravett for the international Hans Christian Andersen Awards 2026. Previous UK winners include Quentin Blake and David Almond. Winners will be announced at Bologna Children’s Book Fair in April next year.
The Week Junior Book Awards shortlist, announced on 3 June, featured 13 categories from audiobooks to graphic novels. Judged by experts and children, the awards highlight books tackling complex issues in accessible ways. The winners will be announced in September.
Scholastic’s Laugh Out Loud Book Awards (The Lollies) revealed their shortlist across four age categories, including titles such as Spyceratops by Alex Willmore and Grimwood: Attack of the Stink Monster! by Nadia Shireen. Children vote for the winners, who will be announced in December at London’s Southbank Centre.
The Jhalak Prize, celebrating authors of colour, named Nathanael Lessore winner of its Children’s and YA category for King of Nothing. Lessore previously won the 2024 Branford Boase Award.
Lit in Colour, hosted by Penguin Books and the British Library, announced a free teachers’ conference in September. It aims to help teachers embed works by authors of colour across Key Stages 2–5, featuring practical strategies and fresh resources.
The SLA Information Book Award shortlisted 12 titles across three age categories: 0–7, 8–12, and 13–16. Winners will be announced in November, including a special Children’s Choice selection voted for by participating schools.
The National Literacy Trust’s latest survey reported continuing concerns over children’s reading habits. Responses from 114,970 children showed a decline in reading enjoyment. However, children showed motivation when allowed free choice and when books matched their hobbies or social interests.
IBBY UK entries for the Outstanding Books for Children with Disabilities List included Sh!t Bag by Xena Knox, a candid teen novel exploring bowel disease, and I Am, You Are by Ashley Harris Whaley, illustrated by Hannah Wood, a picture book confronting ableism. Both books aim to empower children by promoting diversity.
Finally, teachers, parents, and librarians can look forward to further awards announcements in autumn, including winners of the SLA Awards in November and The Week Junior Book Awards at the end of September. Until then, plenty of reading lists await eager eyes.
