Shortlist for the Information Book Award (IBA) 2023 announced

The School Library Association has announce the 2023 shortlist for the Information Book Award (IBA), which celebrates the importance of information books and highlight the wealth of resources available.

The award covers three age categories, and is judged by a panel of educators. Almost 200 books were submitted for the awards, which has been whittled down to the shortlist, below.

As well as the judges' choices, pupils have the chance to vote for their favourite titles to crown a Children's Choice Winner in each of the three age categories. Children's Choice voting opens now and will close at the end of October, with the winners announced in November.

Schools can vote by visiting the SLA website.   A poster and learning resources are also available to download. The shortlisted books are available at a discounted price from Peters.  More than 100 schools have received a free collection of the shortlisted, with funding from the Foyle Foundation. 

Chair of the Judges, Margaret Pemberton, said, "The standard of books that are put forward for this award just keeps getting better. This year, the judges have had a wonderful range of subjects to read and the quality of writing, illustration and information has made this a really difficult and yet fascinating experience."

Information Book Awards Shortlist 2023

Age 0-7

ABC Pride by Dr Elly Barnes MBE & Louie Stowell, illus Amy Phelps (DK Children)
Brilliantly positive and inclusive, a great way to open discussion into LGBTQA+ matters, inclusivity, and self-acceptance for young children.

Do Bears Poop in the Woods? by Huw Lewis Jones Sam Caldwell (Thames & Hudson)
This captivating books about bears, illustrated beautifully, appeals to children's love of poo… and bears! Jam-packed full of facts and practical advice, it is a funny and loving tribute to all things bear, especially with regards to protecting their futures.

A Mathematician Like Me by Dr. Shini Somara Nadja Sarell (Wren & Rook / HCG) 
This fun and brightly illustrated picture book shows how maths appears in everydaylife. Maths related history, geography and astronomy segments complement the story, with fun and accessible maths activities to enjoy too.

Age 8-12

The Big Book of Mysteries by Tom Adams Yas Imamura (Nosy Crow)
This book had me hooked! The use of vivid colours and fonts from the front cover draw you in to explore the unknown. The real-life short mystery extracts invite the reader to wonder and engage with what they're reading about. Packed full of information, this book would be great to dip in and out of and I'm sure engage our reluctant readers.

Lands of Belonging: A History of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Britain by Donna & Vikesh
Amey Bhatt, illus Salini Perera (Nosy Crow)
A fascinating look at the development of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, from early history through the nineteenth century and coming up to date with the three countries as they exist today. Central to this is the often-problematic relationship with Great Britain. There is so much we can learn from this book.

Talking History by Joan Haig & Joan Lennon, illus André Ducci (Templar Publishing)
Complemented by remarkable illustrations, in a sometimes-comic book style, Talking History expounds the fascinating history behind some of the most important speakers (alongside their speeches) who have ever orated.

A World Full of Journeys and Migrations by Martin Howard, illus Christopher Corr (Quarto Group)
The well compiled contents page makes this book so easily accessible; it would be an essential learning aid in a Key Stage 2 classroom. The book promotes and celebrates the migration humans have made through time in a beautiful way. The wonderful illustrations bring the words and imagery to life in the pages of this book
exploring the varying journeys humans have made through time and the reasons why.

Age 13-16

Choose Love by Nicola Davies, illus Petr Horáček (Graffeg) 
Choose Love is a powerful response to the ongoing refugee crisis. It is written in a thoughtful and sometimes tear -provoking poetry form, alongside brief facts about the asylum seeker process. The strength of every poem is reinforced by a series of stunning illustrations.

An Illustrated History of Ghosts by Adam Allsuch Boardman (Nobrow) 
A globe-trotting, epoch-spanning guide to ghostly myths and sightings that will have the curious spellbound. Presented with striking simplicity, it's a book to linger over, and one that will stay with the reader for a long time.

Masterpieces in Pieces by Ingrid Swenson & Mary Auld (Wayland, HCG) 
An innovative approach to the topic, that gives a fresh viewpoint on how art is created, as well as interpreted. Easy to follow, yet respectful of the reader's intelligence, it's a well-balanced book with cleverly selected examples.

Medicine: An Illustrated History by Briony Hudson, illus Nick Taylor (Big Picture Press)
Amongst the colourful pages are short bursts of incredible information and insights into medicines from all ages. The book is digestible and packed full of interesting learning in a bright and engaging format. A must have book for school libraries.