Oscar’s Book Prize celebrates the best illustrated book for young children, championing the creativity of early-years literature and highlighting the importance of reading with children.
Founded by the parents of book-loving Oscar Ashton, who died in 2021 at age 3 and a half from a heart condition, the award has been running annually since 2014 and is supported by Amazon and the Evening Standard.
Five titles have been selected the shortlist this year, and each one is "brim-filled with treats for young readers." The shortlist is as follows:
- Geoffrey Gets The Jitters by Nadia Shireen (Penguin Random House Children’s – Puffin)
- Gigantic by Bob Biddulph (HarperCollins Children's Books)
- Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf by Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin
- The Hare-Shaped Hole by John Dougherty and Thomas Docherty (Frances Lincoln Children's Books)
- When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth by Sean Taylor and Zehra Hicks (Frances Lincoln Children's Books)
The winner of the £10,000 prize will be revealed on the evening of Tuesday 7th May.
Lisa de Meyer, UK books country manager at Amazon, said: “Reading is such a joy and an incredible tool in aiding children’s development. The shortlist for Oscar’s Book Prize this year is full of immensely talented authors and illustrators, who have beautifully encapsulated stories that are sure to inspire and bring joy to so many children."
Throughout April and May, Oscar’s Book Prize and Amazon will donate this year’s shortlisted books to schools and nurseries across the country, via the Amazon Reading Volunteer network.
To learn more about the award, click here.