May 19, 2025

This year represents the tenth anniversary of the awards, which we’ll be celebrating at a special event on Thursday, 10th July. You can click here to join the ceremony online and celebrate the incredible authors and illustrators nominated!

The Quiz Writers’ Choice Awards are held every year alongside the release of our What Kids Are Reading report. The report is the largest annual study of the reading habits and trends of students across the UK and Ireland using data from a variety of sources, including Renaissance Accelerated Reader, over an entire academic year.

Over the 23-24 school year, our Quiz Writers read almost 5,000 points worth of books, wrote over 10,000 questions and ultimately approved 1,250 new AR quizzes. One person on their own would need to read nearly four books every day of the year to reach this total!


Nominees for Best Primary Fiction

Brrr!: Where Did the Dinosaurs Really Go? by Kes Gray, illustrated by Nick East

Published by Hodder Children’s Books

Lower Years (age 5-8) | AR Quiz: # 244039 | Book Level: 3.7

Finn Jones Was Here by Simon James Green, illustrated by Jennifer Jamieson

Published by Scholastic

Middle Years (age 9-13) | AR Quiz: # 244550 | Book Level: 4.7

Simon shares his reaction to the nomination in the video below.

A Swallow in Winter by Timothée de Fombelle, translated by Sarah Ardizzone, illustrated by Thomas Campi

Published by Walker Books

Lower Years (age 5-8) | AR Quiz: # 244612 | Book Level: 5.7

To the Other Side by Erika Meza

Published by Hodder Children’s Books

Lower Years (age 5-8) | AR Quiz: # 244724 | Book Level: 1.7

A Different Kind of Freedom by Richard O’Neill

Published by Scholastic

Middle Years (age 9-13) | AR Quiz: # 245019 | Book Level: 5.2

Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer by Jeffrey Boakye

Published by Faber and Faber

Middle Years (age 9-13) | AR Quiz: # 270094 | Book Level: 5.3


Nominees for Best Secondary Fiction

The Lighthouse by Alex Bell

Published by Stripes

Upper Years (age 14+) | AR Quiz: # 244330 | Book Level: 5.6

A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar

Published by Hodder Children’s Books

Upper Years (age 14+) | AR Quiz: # 244866 | Book Level: 5.6

Glow Up, Laura Bloom by Dee Benson

Published by Hot Key Books

Middle Years Plus (age 12+) | AR Quiz: # 244917 | Book Level: 5.0

If My Words Had Wings by Danielle Jawando

Published by Simon & Schuster Children’s

Upper Years (age 14+) | AR Quiz: # 270071 | Book Level: 5.2

Boy Like Me by Simon James Green

Published by Scholastic

Upper Years (age 14+) | AR Quiz: # 270059 | Book Level: 4.9

Why is Nobody Laughing? by Yasmin Rahman

Published by Hot Key Books

Upper Years (age 14+) | AR Quiz: # 244189 | Book Level: 4.8


Nominees for Best Primary Non-Fiction

India, Incredible India by Jasbinder Bilan, illustrated by Nina Chakrabarti

Published by Walker Books

Middle Years (ages 9-13) | AR Quiz: #244644 | Book Level: 6.9

A Wild Child’s Book of Birds by Dara McAnulty, illustrated by Barry Falls

Published by Macmillan Children’s Books

Lower Years (ages 5-8) | AR Quiz: #244893 | Book Level: 6.8

Lands of Belonging: A History of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Britain by Donna Amey Bhatt and Vikesh Amey Bhatt, illustrated by Salini Perera

Published by Nosy Crow

Middle Years (ages 9-13) | AR Quiz: #244932 | Book Level: 7.8


Nominees for Best Secondary Non-Fiction

Welcome to St Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure by Lewis Hancox

Published by Scholastic

Upper Years (age 14+) | AR Quiz: #245022 | Book Level: 3.1

You Have the Power: Find Your Strength and Believe You Can by Leah Williamson with Suzanne Wrack

Published by Macmillan Children’s Books

Middle Years Plus (age 12+) | AR Quiz: #244998 | Book Level: 6.0

The Táin: The Great Irish Battle Epic by Alan Titley, illustrated by Eoin Coveney

Published by Little Island

Middle Years Plus (age 12+) | AR Quiz: #244697 | Book Level: 5.5


Nominees for Best Debut

Steady For This by Nathanael Lessore

Published by Hot Key Books

Upper Years (age 14+) | AR Quiz: #244770 | Book Level: 5.4

Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star by Laura Noakes, illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino

Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books

Middle Years (ages 9-13) | AR Quiz: #244836 | Book Level: 6.3

Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald

Published by Faber and Faber

Upper Years (age 14+) | AR Quiz: #270086 | Book Level: 4.4


Nominees for Best Series

Bizarre Behaviours by Shalini Vallepur

Published by BookLife

Middle Years (ages 9-13)

Bunny vs Monkey by Jamie Smart

Published by David Fickling Books

Lower Years (ages 5-8)

The Ajay Series by Varsha Shah, illustrated by Sonia Albert

Published by Chicken House

Middle Years (ages 9-13)

Kiki Kallira by Sangu Mandanna

Published by Hodder Children’s Books

Middle Years (ages 9-13)

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