Five books have been shortlisted for The Alligator’s Mouth Award 2025, which champions both authors and illustrators of highly illustrated children’s fiction. Now in its seventh year, the children’s book prize created by The Alligator’s Mouth children’s bookshop and The Bright Agency celebrates the best books for 6-8-year-olds.

The shortlist was selected by a judging panel of children’s book experts, including children’s author Mariesa Dulak, who commented: “It's an exciting time to be judging the Alligator's Mouth Award because of the abundance and variety of engaging young fiction that's around right now. Every book on the shortlist uses different layout, style to entice the reader. It really is a cracking shortlist.”

The full shortlist for The Alligator’s Mouth Award 2024:
 

• Beti and the Little Round House written by Atinuke, illustrated by Emily Hughes (Walker Books)

• Gordon the Meanest Goose on Earth written & illustrated by Alex Latimer (Oxford University Press

• Murray and Bun: Murray the Viking written & illustrated by Adam Stower (HarperCollins Children's Books

• Rabbit and Bear: This Lake is Fake! written by Julian Gough, illustrated by Jim Field (Hachette Children's Books)

• Supersquirrel and the Crazy Rain Maker written by Russell Punter, illustrated by Josh Cleland (Usborne)

As well as Mariesa Dulak, the shortlist was selected by last year’s winners Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre, founder of Storymix Jasmine Richards, head of Coram Beanstalk Amy Lewis, head teacher and book blogger Tom Griffiths, and co-owners of The Alligator’s Mouth bookshop Margaret Wallace-Jones and Tony West.

Tony West and Margaret Wallace-Jones of The Alligator's Mouth said: “The 2025 shortlist is another fantastically varied list of colourful, funny, puzzling, engaging and inventive stories that will help any child become an enthusiastic reader. Congratulations to the authors, illustrators, editors and design teams behind these excellent books.”

National reading charity Coram Beanstalk return as a partner, running a competition that offers UK schools the chance to win the longlisted titles. The competition will run until 2nd June, and schools can find out more and enter via the Coram Beanstalk website.

Books wholesaler Gardners returns as an official partner of the award and are offering up to 50% discount on both longlisted and shortlisted titles until the end of July.

The winner will be announced at a special awards ceremony at the beginning of July 2025.