Last night (10th October 2024), more than 150 people gathered to discover the winners of The Diverse Book Awards 2024.
The party, held at Waterstones Piccadilly in London, saw publishers, authors, illustrators and literary agents from across the UK come together to celebrate the winning diverse books.
Yesterday, as the fifth Diverse Book Awards winners were officially revealed, the longlist, shortlist and winner lists will now become essential reading on a national level, highlighting the outstanding diverse and inclusive books, published by authors based in the UK and Ireland.
Guests enjoyed delicious Hummingbird birthday cake, rum punch, and delicious canapes. Held in the biggest bookshop in Europe; the music and positive, celebratory atmosphere was more like a party than a publishing event.
Abiola Bello, co-founder of The DBAs: “Celebrating with everyone is one of my favourite nights of the year and I’m so proud of everyone who was longlisted. All the books were amazing. Congratulations once to the winners and thank you to Waterstones Piccadilly for once again hosting us. Bring on next year!”
Helen Lewis, co-founder of The DBAs: “We made it to five years, and every year, The Diverse Book Awards has grown bigger and better, with growing support from within the publishing industry and outside – from readers, librarians, reviewers, booksellers and teachers. It was a great atmosphere last night at The Diverse Book Awards party. We are grateful to everyone who made the effort to join us to celebrate the incredible books that have been longlisted, shortlisted and of course the winners of The Diverse Book Awards 2024. What a privilege and honour to be in a room with so much incredible talent. I am so proud of the awards and can’t wait to see what amazing things come next for everyone who participated.”
Nikesh Shukla was nominated in a public vote for the Malorie Blackman Impact Award 2024 alongside Elle McNicoll and Jasmine Richards. Nikesh received the highest number of votes and won this prestigious prize. Nikesh Shukla said: “I stand on the shoulders of giants, like Malorie Blackman, and Salena Godden and Niven Govinden and Margaret Busby and Courttia Newland and Rajeev Balasubramanyam and Nii Ayikwei Parkes and so many more people who paved the way for people like me. I am eternally grateful to them all, and to the countless others who have been comrades along the way. None of this work is done in isolation. It means the world to be recognised. I am eternally grateful for the shoulders. I hope mine have carried people as well. I hope I have paid all that time and grace forward.”
Unfortunately, due to illness, Malorie Blackman was unable to attend in person to present the Malorie Blackman Impact Award, sponsored by Literally PR, to the incredible winner, Nikesh Shukla, but said, “I want to say a HUGE thank you to Abiola Bello and Helen Lewis for creating the Diverse Book Awards. They wanted to shine a welcome spotlight on marginalised voices in the publishing world and that is indeed what they have done.”
The Diverse Book Awards Winners 2024
WINNER – The Diverse Book Awards 2024 – Picture Books
To The Other Side by Erika Meza (Hodder Children’s Books)
In second place:
Not Now Noor by Farhana Islam, illustrated by Nabila Adani (PRH Children’s)
In third place:
A Hero Like Me by Angela Joy & Jen Reid, illustrated by Leire Salaberria (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books)
WINNER – The Diverse Book Awards 2024 – Children’s
Steady For This by Nathanael Lessore, Hot Key Books
In second place:
Safiyyah’s War by Hiba Noor Khan published by Andersen Press
In third place:
The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow, illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton (Otter-Barry Books)
WINNER – The Diverse Book Awards 2024 – YA
The First Move by Jenny Ireland (Penguin Random House Children’s)
In second place:
Away With Words by Sophie Cameron (Little Tiger)
In third place:
A Million To One by Adiba Jaigirdar (Hodder Children’s Books)
WINNER – The Diverse Book Awards 2024 – Adult
Maame by Jessica George (Hodder and Stoughton)
In second place:
Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson (Viking)
In third place:
Those People Next Door by our former winner Kia Abdullah (HarperCollins)
The Diverse Book Awards Readers’ Choice Award 2024
First introduced in 2023, as a way for the public to get involved in the voting the Readers’ Choice Award categories are Picture Books, Children’s, YA and Adult! There were more than 1,600 votes for this prize across the categories. Each of the 2024 longlisted books were open to votes from the announcement of the longlist through to the announcement of the shortlist.
The Diverse Book Awards 2024 Readers’ Choice Award – Picture Books
WINNER
With 14.9% of the vote…
Thunderboots by Naomi Jones, illustrated by Rebecca Ashdown (Oxford University Press)
In second place, with 12.2% of the vote…
I’m Going to Be a Princess by Stephanie Taylor, illustrated by Jade Orlando (Nosy Crow)
In third place, with 9.4% of the vote…
Not Now Noor by Farhana Islam, illustrated by Nabila Adani (PRH Children’s)
The Diverse Book Awards 2024 Readers’ Choice Award – Children’s
WINNER
With 11.7% of the vote…
Safiyyah’s War by Hiba Noor Khan (Andersen Press)
In second place with 10.4% of the vote…
Glitter Boy by Ian Eagleton (Scholastic)
In third place with 7.3% of the vote…
Dreamweavers: Night of the Scary Fairies by Annabelle Sami, illustrated by Forrest Burdett (Little Tiger)
The Diverse Book Awards 2024 Readers’ Choice Award – YA
WINNER
With 7.8% of the vote…
Boy Like Me by Simon James Green (Scholastic)
In second place, with 15.5% of the vote…
All The Things They Said We Couldn’t Have: Stories of Trans Joy by T.C. Oakes-Monger (Jessica Kingsley Publishers)
In third place, with 6.4% of the vote…
You Think You Know Me by Ayaan Mohamud (Usborne)
The Diverse Book Awards 2024 Readers’ Choice Award – Adult
WINNER
With 11.9% of the vote…
Until Proven Innocent by Nicola Williams (Hamish Hamilton)
In second place, with 10.8% of the vote…
Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Howarth (Verve Books)
In third place, with 6.9% of the vote…
Ghost Girl, Banana by Wiz Wharton (Hodder and Stoughton)
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The 2025 Diverse Book Awards will open for nominations in mid-January 2025 to mid-March 2025. For more news and updates, please visit www.thediversebookawards.co.uk and join the mailing list.
A ‘Fifth Birthday Winners’ Conversation’ event will be held on 12th November at 6.30pm: https://www.waterstones.com/events/celebrate-5-years-of-the-diverse-book-awards-at-waterstones-piccadilly/london-piccadilly
