The charity Inclusive Books for Children (IBC) has announced the judges for its inaugural awards aimed at celebrating the talent behind the best new inclusive children’s books published in the UK. The awards are open to UK publishers and are free to enter. The prize fund of £30,000 will be awarded to authors and illustrators of the best books demonstrating inclusivity in three categories: books aimed at babies and toddlers aged one to three; picture books for ages three to seven; and children’s fiction for ages five to nine.
The judges for the awards are authors Jeffrey Boakye, A M Dassu, and Aoife Dooley. The shortlists will be revealed in January 2024, and the winners will be announced at a ceremony in March 2024.
Here are the bios of the judges for the inaugural Inclusive Books for Children awards:
Boakye is a British author, broadcaster and teacher whose writing focuses on music, language and identity.
Dassu, an English writer of fiction and non-fiction, won the international We Need Diverse Books mentorship award in 2017. Her debut novel, Boy, Everywhere, was published in October 2020 and was shortlisted for the 2021 Waterstone’s Children’s Books Prize.
Dooley is an Irish illustrator, author and comedian. She is known for her humorous illustrations and has published several books including How to be Massive and How to Deal with Poxes (on a Daily Basis).
