Information Book Award 2024 shortlist announced

The 2024 shortlist for the Information Book Award (IBA), which celebrates the importance of information books, has been announced.

The award is run by the School Library Association to highlight the quality of resources available and to support school libraries to get the most out of them. 

The winners will be celebrated in November, at a ceremony hosted by award sponsor Hachette Children's Group.

The award is judged by a panel of educators and includes books for babies through to teenagers, selected from a longlist of 35 titles. There are 12 titles on the shortlist, which features a range of titles with a particular focus this year on helping children to find their place in the world by developing an understanding of the histories of society and culture.   Chair of the judges, Margaret Pemberton, said, "It is exciting to see an expanding range of diverse themes and to have books which reinterpret the way we look at subjects such as nature and history."

Students now have the chance to vote for their favourite titles to crown a Children's Choice Winner in each of the three age categories. Voting helps children to engage with the shortlisted books and to build essential skills through teamwork and discussion. Children's Choice voting opens now and will close on 15th October, with the winners announced in November. Schools can vote by visiting sla.org.uk/iba.

Nearly 100 schools will receive a free collection of the shortlisted titles through the IBA Book Club, funded by the Authors Licensing and Copyright Society, offering pupils opportunities for positive engagement with information books, reading non-fiction for pleasure, book talk and reading as a social activity. All schools, though, can use the learning resources and vote in the Children's Choice.

The shortlist for each age category is:

Ages 0-7

Darwin's Super-Pooping Worm Spectacular, Polly Owen, illustrated by Gwen Millward (The Quarto Group)
Salat in Secret, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, illustrated by Hatem Aly (Andersen Press)
That's Mathematics, Chris Smith (based on lyrics by Tom Lehrer), illustrated by Elīna Brasliņa (Mama Makes Books)
Welcome to Our Table: A Celebration of What Children Eat Everywhere, Laura Mucha & Ed Smith, illustrated by Harriet Lynas (Nosy Crow)

Ages 8-12

Hear Our Voices: A Powerful Retelling of the British Empire through 20 True Stories, Radhika Natarajan & Chao Tayiana, illustrated by Alexander Mostov (The Quarto Group)
Human 2.0, Patrick Kane, illustrated by Samuel Rodriguez (Big Picture Press)
Lessons From Our Ancestors, Raksha Dave, illustrated by Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong (Magic Cat)
Unspoken, Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Dare Coulter (Andersen Press)

Ages 13-16

How to Love: A Guide to Feelings & Relationships for Everyone, Alex Norris, illustrated by Alex Norris (Walker Books)
Lads: A Guide to Respect and Consent for Teenage Boys, Alan Bissett (Hachette Childrens Group: Wren & Rook)
Story of Now: Let's Talk about the British Empire, Shelina Janmohamed, illustrated by Laura Greenan (Hachette Children’s Group)
Welcome to the Arts: Dance, Alistair Spalding, illustrated by Jason Raish (Big Picture Press)

The shortlisted books are available at a discounted price from Peters. Find out more about the awards at www.sla.org.uk/iba