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.