The Booker Prize Foundation has opened the submissions process for the 2027 Children’s Booker Prize. The new annual award seeks to honour the best work of fiction for children aged eight to 12 published in the United Kingdom or Ireland.
To be eligible, works must be written by authors of any nationality, provided the text was originally written in English or translated into English. The foundation has stipulated that entries may only be submitted by publishers; independent submissions from authors, illustrators or literary agents will not be accepted.
The inaugural competition covers titles published between November 1, 2025 and October 31, 2026. Deadlines for submission depend on the publication date, with the earliest window for physical and digital copies closing on May 25, 2026 for books released during the first half of the eligibility period. A final deadline for all digital assets has been set for August 14, 2026 to facilitate the public announcement of the shortlist later in the year.
Gaby Wood, Chief Executive of the Booker Prize Foundation, has issued guidance to publishers regarding the inaugural call-in process. The foundation has requested that publishers submit titles as soon as they become available to assist judges with the anticipated volume of reading.
A shortlist is scheduled to be announced on November 24, 2026, alongside the appointment of child judges who will participate in the process. The first winner of the Children’s Booker Prize will be revealed during a formal ceremony on February 2, 2027.
