We're so excited to present to you our 2023 shortlist! These are the top 9 diverse UK books in Picture Books, Children's, YA and Adult fiction. The in person awards will be on October 25th 2023 at Waterstones Piccadilly (invite only).
Who will win best picture book, children's, best YA and best adult? Which four winners will take home the first ever Readers' Choice Awards?
Please do support all of these amazing books. Don't forget to use the hashtag #TheDBAwards
Picture Book
Dadaji's Paintbrush by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, illustrated by Ruchi Mhasane (Andersen Press)
John Agard's Windrush Child by John Agard, illustrated by Sophie Bass (Walker Books)
Nour's Secret Library by Wafa Tarnowska, illustrated by Vali Mintzi (Barefoot Books)
Our Story Starts in Africa by Patrice Lawrence, illustrated by Jeanetta Gonzales (Magic Cat)
Our Tower by Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Richard Johnson (Frances Lincoln Children's Books)
Saving The Butterfly by Helen Cooper, illustrated by Gill Smith (Walker Books)
Small's Big Dream by Manjeet Mann, illustrated by Amanda Quartey (HarperCollins Children's Books)
The Missing Piece by Jordan Stephens, illustrated by Beth Suzanna (Bloomsbury Children's Books)
You Need To Chill by Juno Dawson, illustrated by Laura Hughes (Farshore)
Children's
A Flash of Fireflies by Aisha Bushby (Farshore)
Ajay and The Mumbai Sun by Varsha Shah (Chicken House)
Future Hero: Race To Fire Mountain by Remi Blackwood (Scholastic)
Kiki Kallira Conquers A Curse by Sangu Mandanna (Hachette Children's Books)
Mia and the Lightcasters by Janelle McCurdy, illustrated by Ana Latese (Faber Children's)
Sadé and her Shadow Beasts by Rachel Faturoti, illustrated by Rumbidzai Savanhu (Hachette Children's Books)
The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger by J.T. Williams, illustrated by Simone Douglas (Farshore)
The Secret of Haven Point by Lisette Auton, illustrated by Valentina Toro (Puffin)
The Twig Man by Sana Rasoul (Hashtag Press)
YA
Bad Things Happen Here by Rebecca Barrow (Hot Key Books)
Cuts Both Ways by Candice Brathwaite (Quercus Children's Books)
Gay Club! by Simon James Green (Scholastic)
If You Still Recognise Me by Cynthia So (Little Tiger)
Love In Winter Wonderland by Abiola Bello (Simon & Schuster)
The Haunting of Tyrese Walker by J.P. Rose (Anderson Press)
The Society for Soulless Girls by Laura Steven (Electric Monkey)
When Our Worlds Collided by Danielle Jawando (Simon & Schuster)
Why Is Nobody Laughing by Yasmin Rahman (Hot Key Books)
Adult
Here Again Now by Okechukwu Nzelu (Dialogue Books)
Love Marriage by Monica Ali (Virago)
One for Sorrow, Two for Joy by Marie-Claire Amuah (Oneworld)
Still Lives by Reshma Ruia (Renard Press)
Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli (Magpie)
The Attic Child by Lola Jaye (Pan Macmillan)
These Impossible Things by Salma El-Wardany (Trapeze)
Wahala by Nikki May (Doubleday)
Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn (Viking)