British Book Award Winners 2026 announced

The winners of the British Book Awards 2026 (the 'Nibbies') have been announced, with children's authors and illustrators including Skandar author AF Steadman, illustrator Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants), Suzanne Collins and Michael Rosen all recognised.

The 2026 British Book Awards winners were announced on May 11, 2026, at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London. 'Skandar' author AF Steadman was announced as Author of the Year, with the overall Book of the Year awarded to Nobody's Girl, the posthumous memoir by Virginia Roberts Giuffre co-written by Amy Wallace.

Book of the Year Awards Winners:

Overall Book of the Year & Non-Fiction (Narrative): Nobody's Girl by Virginia Roberts Giuffre (co-written by Amy Wallace)

Fiction Book of the Year: Boleyn Traitor by Philippa GregoryDebut Fiction: The Names by Florence Knapp

Author of the Year: AF Steadman

Illustrator of the Year: Dav Pilkey

Children's Fiction: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Children's Non-Fiction & Illustrated: Oh Dear, Look What I Got! by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

Crime & Thriller: A Case of Mice and Murder by Sally Smith

Audiobook (Fiction): Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Inaugural Radio 2 Book Club Award: Nesting by Roisín O'Donne