Information Book Award 2025 shortlist announced

The 12 shortlisted titles for the Information Book Award (IBA) have been announced by the School Library Association (SLA) and include a diverse range of information books that provide readers with new ways of looking at the world around them. 

The shortlist includes three categories across ages naught to 16. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in November, when four Children's Choice accolades, one in each age category and an overall winner, will also be awarded by schools participating in the IBA Book Club.

The shortlisted books, selected from a longlist of 34 titles, shows engagement with information books can span everything from burps to jellyfish and art to physics. The books cover a range of themes from exploring different cultures to managing emotions, how the world works to how others experience it. 

Victoria Dilly, CEO of the SLA, said: "The titles on the shortlist represent how exciting and engaging reading information books can be for children across the age ranges. They cover everything from the animal kingdom to Ai, from the human body to the stoics, using engaging text and beautiful, bright illustrations to draw the reader in.

"For librarians and teachers, these books offer an ideal route into reading and encouraging curiosity about the world we live in. The opportunity to explore culture, discover new places and ways of understanding each other leaps off the pages of these shortlisted titles."

The 2025 Information Book Award Shortlist, with judges' comments:

Age 0-7 titles:

Along Came A ... Burp!, Saskia Gwinn, illustrated by Paula Bowles (Templar Books)
"An ingeniously presented book allows readers to absorb scientific facts about the human body without even realising they are learning."
Me and My Hair, Kimberley Kinloch, illustrated by Jessica Gibson (Usborne)
"A thoughtful combination of a history of Black hairstyles, a showcase of the versatility and beauty of Black hair and a celebration of all hair types."
This Book Will Make You an Artist, Ruth Millington, illustrated by Ellen Surrey (Nosy Crow)
"A gorgeous book perfectly pitched for this age group and highlights a diverse range of fascinating and highly appealing artists."
What is AI?, Neal Layton (Hodder Children's Books, Hachette Children's Group)
"An entertaining and informative first look at AI for Key stage 1 pupils. The illustrations and words combine to present the topic in an unexpected and different format."

Age 8-12 titles:

Amazing Asia, Rashmi Sirdeshpande, illustrated by Jason Lyon (Quarto)
"A gorgeous book that strikes a perfect balance between a wealth of information and beautiful aesthetics, exploring everything from food to landscapes, innovations to famous faces."
How to Walk on the Moon and Other Incredible Ideas About Physics, William Potter, illustrated by Richard Watson (Arcturus Publishing)
"If you have a physics question, this book is the place to find the answer. Using a mixture of comic strip and written explanations is has undeniable appeal to those in upper primary school."
Inside Story: How the News Works, ITN Productions, illustrated by Terri Po (Templar Books)
"A fantastic deep dive into the nuts and bolts of news. Packed with information and covering serious ground including a history of the news, citizen journalism and future of news."
The Jellyfish Garden: Explore their Curious World, Paola Vitale, illustrated by Rossana Bossù (Post Wave Children's Books)
"This book tells you things about jellyfish that you never thought you needed to know and can be read from cover to cover or at random, with intricately imagined diagrams and illustrations."

Age 13-16 titles

Black History for Every Day of the Year, David, Yinka and Kemi Olusoga (Macmillan Children's Books)
"Uniquely accessible and readable for ages 13 to adult with a bite-sized factual story for each day of the year, often illustrated, spanning historical events and biographies up to the present day."
The History of Information, Chris Haughton with Loonie Park (DK Children's)
"This gives a better understanding of why the world is the way it is; how our future is being shape by AI; and the changes we ALL need to make for the sake of our collective futures."
Queerbook, Malcom Mackenzie, illustrated by Emily A. Foster, cover illustrated by Madelén Foss (Red Shed, Farshore)
"A joyful deep dive into gay culture. From top LGBTQ+ TV shows to 'setting straight' key terms, this cultural guide offers a plethora of starting points for further exploration."
Seriously HAPPY, Ben Aldridge (Quarto)
"A fun book explaining popular philosophy in 10 lessons that teenagers will love. It explains complicated theories from Aristotle to Zen in a simple way with the aim of building confidence in the reader."

IBA Book Club

Schools across the UK have been signing up to join the IBA Book Club to share the books and vote for pupils' favourite books. 90 schools that signed up to the IBA Book Club early will receive a free set of the shortlisted books in their chosen age category. Three schools will receive a Golden Bookmark, giving them the chance to record a video presenting one of the Children's Choice awards, which will be played at the ceremony.

All schools will have access to free downloadable resources related to the IBA Book Club, and can purchase the shortlisted books at a discounted price from Peters: peters.co.uk/iba

Founded to help school libraries celebrate the value of non-fiction books, the Information Book Award is now in its 15th year. It is sponsored by Hachette Children's Group and Peters; the IBA Book Club is funded by the Authors Licensing and Collecting Society.

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