Book of the Year - Children's Fiction 2025
Book of the Year - Children’s Fiction Winner and Shortlist
From stories of vampires, enemies-to-lovers and fights with best friends, this shortlist features everything from tween reads to YA thrillers and romantasy. There is something for every young reader, with each title championed with thoughtful campaigns and impressive retailer support.
The Winner
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess
Jeff Kinney
Puffin
Ready the celebratory meatballs! The 19th book in Jeff Kinney’s beloved series was equally beloved by our judges who were impressed by Puffin’s “remarkable” campaign and dedication to the author. Our panel agreed that Kinney “performs a literary service” and the “hilarious” and “fresh” story, in which Greg Heffley is caught between two sides of his family, was a standout in this category.
“It is very hard to do what Kinney is doing,” remarked one judge. “He creates readers,” added another. Puffin created a recipe for success to turn Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess into a “big deal”. Our judges hailed the team’s “extraordinary support” that put Wimpy Kid back at the top of the charts.
Puffin made the canny decision to bring Kinney to the UK before publication to attend Hay Festival, where the bespoke Greg Heffley costume also made its debut. For our panel, “this book has a special status” in children’s literature.
The Shortlist
A Tempest of Tea
Hafsah Faizal
First Ink
Three special editions, including a FairyLoot box pick, turned Hafsah Faizal’s A Tempest of Tea into an incredibly covetable book. The award-winning campaign successfully negotiated two publication date moves to create a slick roster of activity that included a special influencer event, a limited proof giveaway at YALC and a pre-order competition with Waterstones. Faizal’s vampiric tale was the number one YA bestseller on publication.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess
Written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney
Puffin
Puffin successfully reversed Jeff Kinney’s declining sales with the 19th instalment in the Wimpy Kid series, Hot Mess. The publisher ran a pre-order competition at Hay Festival alongside Kinney’s two sold-out events and brought a costume character of the Grey Heffley on-site. Puffin also created the first Wimpy Kid-themed library with a Welsh school, re-engaged the Wimpy Kid partnership with National Literacy Trust and built an interactive instalment in Waterstones Manchester, Deansgate.
I Am Rebel
Ross Montgomery
Walker Books
Disclaimer – the dog does not die in Ross Montgomery’s I Am Rebel, which was selected as the Waterstones Children’s Book of the Year and one of Times’ best children’s books of 2024. Walker held a virtual event with Waterstones that saw Montgomery speak to over 6,000 children and capitalised on the canine-friendly read, holding a dog-friendly book launch and celebrating a “Dog of the Day” on social media. Influencer mailing also included branded dog bandanas and dog biscuits.
Reckless
Lauren Roberts
Simon & Schuster Children's Books
Reckless recorded the largest week one sales of any title in the history of S&S Children’s and captured the biggest day-one sales of any title in The Works’ history. S&S organised two separate author tours that included Roberts’ first school events and a giant outdoor billboard. Lauren Roberts’ decadent romantasy was treated to two special editions and an installation at Waterstones BookFest. Since publication, it has not left the YA fiction top 10.
The Majorly Awkward BFF Dramas of Lottie Brooks
Written and illustrated by Katie Kirby
Puffin
Katie Kirby returns to this year’s shortlist with the sixth instalment in the tween girl series, The Majorly Awkward BFF Dramas of Lottie Brooks. A summer signing road trip and five sold-out festival events, coupled with a one-off Lottie-themed pizza party, propelled this book to the top. The Majorly Awkward BFF Dramas of Lottie Brooks was second-most pre-ordered title across the whole of PRH in 2024, behind Richard Osman.
The Reappearance of Rachel Price
Holly Jackson
Electric Monkey
To match Holly Jackson’s innovative YA novel that asks "what if the missing person came back?", Electric Monkey launched an award-winning marketing campaign to produce the number one bestselling YA hardback of 2024 and Jackson’s first global campaign. Four special editions were complemented with an interview in the Guardian and a Holly Jackson-themed treasure hunt for influencers. Jackson also took part in a high-impact UK tour that saw her attend Comic Con, CrimeFest and Hay Festival.
