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5th December 2025

The British Book Awards 2026

17:00 - 01:00
JW Marriott Grosvenor House, London and Online

Celebrating books and the people who make them.

It’s time for books to take centre stage

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 to shout about every person with a passion for their product that goes way, way beyond the requirements of their role.

Yes, 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. In other words, we need you to step out of the acknowledgement pages and channel your main character energy.

This is your moment, book people. Get ready to shine.

Submit Your Entry

Awards Step

We champion great storytelling.

We champion great storytelling. 

We celebrate the people behind the books.

We celebrate the people behind the books.

We showcase the role of books in society.

We showcase the role of books in society.

We promote connection in the book trade.

We promote connection in the book trade.

Nibbies News

Finding 'library allies' key for Nibbies winner Manchester Libraries

Finding 'library allies' key for Nibbies winner Manchester Libraries

Neil MacInnes, head of libraries, galleries and culture at Manchester City Libraries, talks to The Bookseller about what drives the award-winning service

Book of the Year winners revealed including Percival Everett, Asako Yuzuki and Alexei Navalny

Book of the Year winners revealed including Percival Everett, Asako Yuzuki and Alexei Navalny

Percival Everett, Asako Yuzuki and Alexei Navalny were named among the winners of this year’s British Book Awards, revealed in a star-studded ceremony at the Grosvenor Hotel in London, on 12th May.

Categories & Criteria

Nibbies Past Winners

All new: Nibbies through the years

All new: Nibbies through the years

Rediscover every Nibbies winner from past ceremonies

Nibbies Podcast: David Nicholls and Musih Tedji Xaviere

10 April 2025 | 0 hr 42 min | Download

In this episode of the Nibbies Podcast, hosts Hannah MacInnes and Sarah Gwonyoma talk with two authors who have captured readers with their love stories: David Nicholls and Musih Tedji Xaviere

Nibbies Podcast: Jim Field, Chris and Rosie Ramsey

24 April 2025 | 0 hr 45 min | Download

In this episode of the Nibbies podcast we interview acclaimed children’s picture book authors, Jim Field and Chris & Rosie Ramsey.

Nibbies Videos

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

Watch our interview with Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler after they won the Book of the Year: Children’s Illustrated award

Watch Video

Stanley Tucci

Stanley Tucci acceptance speech

 Watch Stanley Tucci’s acceptance speech after winning the Book of the Year: Non-Fiction - Lifestyle and Illustrated award

Watch Video

Margaret Atwood acceptance speech

Margaret Atwood acceptance speech

Watch Margaret Atwood’s acceptance speech after winning the British Book Award for Freedom to Publish - "I wish you a sackful of good luck"

Watch Video

Coco Hagi interviews Rob Biddulp

Coco Hagi interviews Rob Biddulph

Watch Coco Hagi interview with a 'bewildered' Rob Biddulph after he won the Illustrator of the Year award at the 2025 Nibbies

Watch Video

The British Book Awards SponsorsView All


The British Book Awards PartnersView All


Judges


Nancy Adimora

Nancy Adimora

Founder
OtherStories
Jamilah Ahmed

Jamilah Ahmed

Freelance publishing professional
Arifa Akbar

Arifa Akbar

Chief theatre critic
The Guardian
Monica Ali

Monica Ali

Writer
Syima Aslam

Syima Aslam

CEO & artistic director
Bradford Literature Festival
Will Atkinson

Will Atkinson

Publisher & non-exec director
Anna Bassi

Anna Bassi

Editorial director
The Week Junior
Sanchita Basu De Sarkar

Sanchita Basu De Sarkar

Owner
Children's Bookshop, Muswell Hill
Kate Bland

Kate Bland

Founder
Spiracle Audiobooks
Lauren Brown

Lauren Brown

Author
Selina Brown

Selina Brown

Founder, c.e.o. & author
Black British Book Festival
Matt Cain

Matt Cain

Writer & broadcaster
Caroline Carpenter

Caroline Carpenter

Children's editor & children's conference programmer
The Bookseller
Ova Ceren

Ova Ceren

Author, content creator & software developer
Radzi Chinyanganya

Radzi Chinyanganya

Presenter & author
Matthew Cornford

Matthew Cornford

Owner
Queer Lit
Lizzie Damilola Blackburn

Lizzie Damilola Blackburn

Author
Zoey Dixon

Zoey Dixon

Development librarian & library manager
Lambeth Libraries
Sean Edwards

Sean Edwards

Children’s stock & reader development librarian
London Borough of Haringey
Charlotte Eyre

Charlotte Eyre

Children's previewer
The Bookseller
Kelli Fairbrother

Kelli Fairbrother

Co-founder & c.e.o.
xigxag
Julie Finch

Julie Finch

CEO
Hay Festival
Molly Flatt

Molly Flatt

Comment editor
The Bookseller
Alison Flood

Alison Flood

Comment & culture editor
New Scientist
Lucy Foley

Lucy Foley

Author
Anna Frame

Anna Frame

Communications director
Canongate / PPC Chair
Katie Fraser

Katie Fraser

Staff writer & Chair of the New Adult Book Prize
The Bookseller
Jonny Gallant

Jonny Gallant

Publisher relations director
Bookspeed
Nikita Gill

Nikita Gill

Poet & author
Georgina Godwin

Georgina Godwin

Broadcaster
Sarah Gwonyoma

Sarah Gwonyoma

Book critic
Joe Haddow

Joe Haddow

Author, radio producer & podcast host 
David Headley

David Headley

Managing director
Goldsboro Books
Anna Hervé

Anna Hervé

Editorial consultant
Anwen Hooson

Anwen Hooson

Founder
Bird Literary Agency
Orla Houston-Jibo

Orla Houston-Jibo

Associate director
Riot
Eric Huang

Eric Huang

Author & publishing MA lecturer
Suraka Jane

Suraka Jane

Content creator
Nicolette Jones

Nicolette Jones

Writer & critic
Philip Jones

Philip Jones

Editor
The Bookseller
Jake Kerridge

Jake Kerridge

Crime fiction critic
Telegraph
Jenn Li

Jenn Li

Book blogger & senior technology lawyer
Hannah MacInnes

Hannah MacInnes

Broadcaster & podcast host
James McConnachie

James McConnachie

Author
Cat Mitchell

Cat Mitchell

Senior lecturer in publishing
University of Derby
Zubs J. Malik

Zubs J. Malik

Educator & social media influencer 
Laura Mucha

Laura Mucha

Poet & author
Karen Napier

Karen Napier

CEO
The Reading Agency
Fiona Noble

Fiona Noble

Children’s books journalist & secondary school librarian
Leena Norms

Leena Norms

Writer & YouTuber 
Jonathan Nowell

Jonathan Nowell

Senior advisor
Trillium Partners
Alice O'Keeffe

Alice O'Keeffe

Books editor
The Bookseller
Natasha Onwuemezi

Natasha Onwuemezi

Associate editor
The Bookseller
Alice Oseman

Alice Oseman

Author & illustrator
Lynsey Passmore

Lynsey Passmore

Director
Bazowie
Donna Payne

Donna Payne

Creative director
Apple
Nina Pottell

Nina Pottell

Prima Magazine books editor & book consultant for Between The Covers
Camilla Reid

Camilla Reid

Author
Julian Rhind-Tutt

Julian Rhind-Tutt

Actor
Miriam Robinson

Miriam Robinson

Publishing consultant & podcast host
Joel Rochester

Joel Rochester

Creative & Writer
fictionalfates
Iain Rushworth

Iain Rushworth

Fiction buyer
WHSmith Travel 
Imogen Russell Williams

Imogen Russell Williams

Children’s book critic
The Guardian
Adam Rutherford

Adam Rutherford

Geneticist, author & broadcaster
Chrissy Ryan

Chrissy Ryan

Founder
BookBar
Rhik Samadder

Rhik Samadder

Memoirist & journalist
Caroline Sanderson

Caroline Sanderson

Associate editor & non-fiction previewer
The Bookseller
Susan Sandon

Susan Sandon

Trustee
The Appledore Book Festival
Claire Shanahan

Claire Shanahan

Executive director
Women's Prize Trust
Lisa Smosarski

Lisa Smosarski

Editorial director
Stylist
Truda Spruyt

Truda Spruyt

Founder
Collective Wisdom
Jasper Sutcliffe

Jasper Sutcliffe

Head of business development
Bookshop.org
Sandra Taylor

Sandra Taylor

Communications consultant
Shannon Thomas

Shannon Thomas

Content creator
Johanna Thomas-Corr

Johanna Thomas-Corr

Chief literary critic for Culture & Books
The Times
Mark Thornton

Mark Thornton

Senior partnership manager
Bookshop.org
Tom Tivnan

Tom Tivnan

Managing editor
The Bookseller
Zool Verjee

Zool Verjee

Commercial manager
Blackwell’s & Foyles Bookshops
Julie Vuong

Julie Vuong

Books journalist
The Bookseller
Gervais Williams

Gervais Williams

Head of equities
Premier Miton
Hannah Witton

Hannah Witton

YouTuber, podcaster & author

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Rachel Foley-Scott at rachel@thestage.co.uk.

The British Book Awards Sponsors


Audible
Bejing International Book Fair
Bloomsbury
Books2door
Calibre
Clays
CPI Books
DK
Gardners
Glassboxx
Hachette
LBF
Macmillan Children's Books
Montegrappa
Nielsen
Penguin Random House
Publishers Association
Publiship
Sharjah Book Authority
Simon & Schuster
Spotify
Sweet Cherry
Transworld
WF Howes
Woodlands
World of Books
YMU

The British Book Awards Partners


Book Marketing Society
Booksellers Association
FMCM
FoxWilliams
Hay Festival Global
Heavy Entertainment
Independent Publishers Guild
Index on Censorship
Publishers' Publicity Circle
The Arts Club
The Reading Agency

The British Book Awards

Get latest updates about the Nibbies

Submit your titles for the upcoming Buyer's Guides

The deadline to submit titles for the autumn/winter Buyer's Guides is NEXT FRIDAY, 28th April. Submit your titles for inclusion now.

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