Winners of the IBC Book Awards 2025 announced!
IBC Awards 2025
Inclusive Books for Children has announced the winners of their 2025 book awards.
The winning titles, Democratic Republic of the Congo by Mel Nyoko and Joelle Avelino (Baby & Toddler Books), Two People Can by Blessing Musariri and Maisie Paradise Shearring (Picture Books) and Destiny Ink: Sleepover Surprise by Adeola Sokunbi (Highly Illustrated Children’s Fiction), offer broad representation at both a character and creator level.
Five authors and illustrators won at a prestigious awards ceremony at The Gherkin in London on Wednesday and will share the £30,000 prize fund.
IBC, a literary charity whose free website makes it easy for families, librarians and teachers to source books to diversify their bookshelves, founded the IBC Awards to recognise the best new inclusive children’s books published in the UK.
Now in their second year, the awards span three categories focusing on diverse titles for younger readers: baby & toddler books (for ages one to three), picture books (for ages three to seven) and highly illustrated children’s fiction (for ages five to nine).
Created by a Congolese and British-Congolese-Angolan author-illustrator duo, Democratic Republic of the Congo is a refreshing, vibrant, original board book providing a rarely seen take on life in the central African country.
Two People Can, created by an award-winning Zimbabwean poet and British illustrator, explores loss, change and family, capturing the emotions of a mother and child in a deeply affecting way.
Destiny Ink: Sleepover Surprise is a fun, playful story with dynamic illustrations, from Black-British talent Adeola Sokunbi. Perfectly pitched for newly independent readers, it offers a relatable portrayal of childhood worries, big transitions and out-of-this-world friendships.
Sarah Satha, co-founder of IBC said: ‘At a time when we’re seeing a backlash against progress made in the last few years on diversity, equity and inclusion, the IBC Awards are more important than ever, to bring to light the very best stories with characters from under-represented groups. We’re thrilled that the awards have been won by these wonderful books that do such an amazing job of nourishing our children’s imaginations, self-esteem and empathy. No collection of children’s books is complete without them!’