In 2026, The British Book Awards (aka the Nibbies) have special resonance. The National Year of Reading is an incredible opportunity to put books back in the hearts of every adult and child in the UK. Inspiring, challenging, brave, hilarious, mad, gentle books. Books that remind us what it means to be fully, complexly, irrepressibly human. Because books build better humans. And humans build better books. That’s where you come in.

The Nibbies, taking place on Monday 11th May 2026, are here to celebrate your talent, your skill and your value. The authors, who craft exhilarating worlds for us to play in. The editors and agents who fight to publish the stories the tech bros don’t want to be heard. From the booksellers to the librarians, the trade publishers to the indie presses, the designers and illustrators to the marketers to the publicists – we want to shout about every person with a passion for their product that goes way, way beyond the requirements of their role.

It’s time to show your peers – and the nation – exactly how much blood, sweat and tears it takes to create these extraordinary engines for discovery, disruption, joy and social change. Step out of the acknowledgement pages and channel your main character energy. This is your moment, book people. Get ready to shine.