1/3 FROM THE B WORD…to EXTINCTION REBELLION!
😷We brought out our 1st #LittleRebelsAward video during the 2020 lockdown
🤓Watch our judges introducing that year’s 7-strong shortlist!
⭐️JUDGES:
@darrenchetty.bsky.social
Shaun Dellenty
@lawrencepatrice.bsky.social
#KidLitUK
youtu.be/5WttycAT0Hg?...
“We were prisoners of our own country, though we were not guilty of any crime, just our ancestry”(Minoru Tonai)
Bringing ‘difficult’topics to picture books-something close to our #littlerebelsaward hearts.
Mia Wenjen& @writerjolene.bsky.social ..
#KidLitUK
www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...
Visual asset from Usborne. Background is split vertically with light blue to left and pink to right. Book cover of A Sister Like You. Two girls with their back to us with arms around each other, one with long brown pigtail wears pale pink shirt, pink-purple skirt and carries a pink-purple rucksack. She has her arm around girl with shoulder length black hair who wears blue trousers and a pale blue shirt with a tie flipped over her right shoulder. Text, white font, to right of this reads "Ella and Ari always knew they had a sister...they just didn't know it was each other". Beneath this is release date announced in white font against purple circle: "7th May 2026". Beneath this, in white font, "NEW FROM SARAH HAGGER-HOLT, TWO-TIME WINNER OF THE LITTLE REBELS AWARD". Beneath this are the covers of Sarah's four other books published by Usborne: Nothing Ever Happens Here, Proud of Me, Just Like Everyone Else and The Fights That Make Us. Bottom left corner is the Usborne logo, a rainbow hot air balloon against a yellow corned background.
We are loving the #LittleRebelsAward “branding” in Usborne’s latest release announcement…
Which, by the way, is news of:
@sarahhaggerholt.bsky.social NEW BOOK!!! Out this May.
#KidLitUK
Book cover against a teal background: a horizontally striped red/pink lighthouse with a gold weather vane. At the top is a window / viewing point in which we can see seven tiny figures who are characters in the book. Set against a seascape at night; stars twinkle. To the right of this, text reads "The Secret of Haven Point by Lisette Auton Published by Puffin Books. Shortlisted." Bottom right corner shows the pale yellow circular logo for the award: "Little Rebels Award 2023"
Yes, in 2023, the #LittleRebelsAward shortlisted Lisette Auton’s The Secret of Haven Point, “an impactful & quietly radical tale which imagines a non-discriminatory world designed by and for disabled people”
#KidLitUK
The author, Alexandra Sheppard stands to the left (facing us) of author Janelle McCurdy. Both are mixed race women. Photo from the knees up. Alexandra wears a short sleeved green jumpsuit. Janelle wears a headdress with cat ears! Also wears black trousers, a white top and a black jacket with zip. She is carrying headphones. Both have lanyards. Background of wood pannelled walls and bookshelves.
The longlist poster for the Little Rebels Award. Yellow circle logo left top corner. 3 sphere shapes in blue, pink and orange partially visible at top. Then a cream background against which are featured the covers of all the 13 books on the 2025 longlist. Barry Amiel & Norman Melburn Trust logo bottom left . "#LittleRebelsAward" bottom right. Both in dark red font.
Fantastic to see Alexandra Sheppard at the GLL Literary Foundation’s celebration of its second cohort of early career writers. Alexandra will be joining them! Last year she was on our #LittleRebelsAward longlist with her MG debut Alyssa & the Spell Garden
#KidLitUK
@faberchildrens.bsky.social
Poster for theatre showing of Planet Omar. Image ha a bright orange background. At centre is a image/photograph of a boy of colour (representing Omar) from waist up, hands on hips. He look up and to his left. Dark shoulder length hair. Wears a black/blue horizontally-striped, long sleeved tshirt. Around him there is a swirl of stars, icons and doodles including pizza slice, planet. rocket, book, magnet, test tube. Beneath reads "Zanib Mian's Planet Omar Accidental Trouble Magnet" in, variously, white, light blue, yellow font. "Trouble" is underlined with red scratches of crayon.
In possibly the MOST EXCITING NEWS:
Planet Omar is treading the boards in Leeds, London & Birmingham.
The Muslims by Zanib Mian, later recast as ‘Planet Omar’, won the #LittleRebelsAward in 2018
Since then, Omar has soared on a trajectory of mind-blowingly-brilliant success!
#KidLitUK
Flyer advertising event. Top, in yello band reads, "Children's and Young Adult LIterature (CYAL) Book Group". Flyer then divided in to 4 squares. Top left: "We meet once a month to talk together about 2 books: a young adult text and a picture book. We invite people to read the 2 books & come along with a question about each book; perhaps something you are curious or puzzled about or something you are keen to put to the rest of the group. The group is convened by Dr Darren Chetty. this month we'll be looking at Dapo Adeola's Hey You! and Elgan Rhys' The Five. Top right: book cover image fr Hey You! Bottom left: book cover image for The Five. Bottom right: "Thursday 17th March 2026 17.30-18.30 Room 836. UCL, IOE." Followed by IOE logo. *
Remember how we mentioned @dapsdraws.bsky.social ‘s Hey You! recently?
Dr. @darrenchetty.bsky.social is taking it and Elgan Rhys’ The Five to his @ioe.bsky.social Book Group TONIGHT!
(Darren chairs the panel of #LittleRebelsAward shortlistees at our annual award ceremony)
A visual from the award’s Instagram account. Yellow background. Shows cover of Hey You! To the left is the judge’s quote. Top left yellow award logo.
In 2022 our #LittleRebelsAward Judge @jakehope.bsky.social described the book as:
"This is a letter for the future, for a group who've been told 'No' systemically."
#KidLitUK
#RadicalBooks
#PoliticalBooks
Always wonderful to see accounts sharing the joy of #LittleRebelsAward shortlistee.
Hey You! was shortlisted in 2022. An insightful & glorious picture book anthology- 18 Black artists brought together by @dapsdraws.bsky.social
@puffinbooksuk.bsky.social
#KidLitUK
Last year we heard that @ellemcnicoll.bsky.social ‘s publisher was folding…
The #LittleRebelsAward is such a fan of Elle’s work- so when we heard @panmacmillan.bsky.social were giving her a new home and taking on her backlist, our little rebels hearts soared💜
#KidLitUK
Shortlist asset from 2023 award. Rectangular. 3/4 with yellow background. 1/4 (to right) teal background. Right 1/4 includes: “#LITTLEREBELSAWARD” Award logo “Shortlist Celebrating radical fiction for children” Alliance of Radical Booksellers logo Left 3/4 shows covers of the shortlisted titles: No Man’s Labd Proud to be Me Show Us Who You Are No Country -on first row Sunflower Sisters Hey You! What Happened to You? -on 2nd row
1/2Back in 2022, the #LittleRebelsAward shortlisted No Country by Patrice Aggs and Joe Brady, pub’d by
@dfbstoryhouse.bsky.social ⬇️
This graphic novel showed vividly how a country can slip from a democracy to a dictatorship almost overnight…the open ending shows Bea & her siblings fleeing the city…
From Jane Porter’s instagram post; She/ A white woman wearing glasses & white trousers , standing, holds up a banner. Reads: “AI is the THIEF of EVERYTHING” in a mix of red (on thief) and beige/grey lettering. Around outside is text “your copyright” “your creativity”
Another former #LittleRebelsAward Winner -Jane Porter- holding a banner.
We need to run some sort of Activist Series of former/current Big Rebels😄
#KidLitUK
Also a good time to mention that many of our #LittleRebelsAward shortlistees/winners are available for school visits.
To see our roll call of authors/illustrators in all of their rad glory: littlerebels.org/previous-sho...
#KidLitUK
#RadicalBooks
#PoliticalBooks
We love seeing our #LittleRebelsAward Shortlistees & Winners living out their activism both in and beyond book pages.
@gill-lewis.bsky.social is a previous Shortlistees (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020) and winner (2015).
#KidLitUK
#RadicalBooks
#PoliticalBooks
Partial book cover for Ada Twist, Scientist. Title in purple font. Above, a Black girl wearing scientist goggles and yellow gloves holds a pencil. Red and white spotted dress. Hair in 2 puffs. Below her a Black boy with flat top hair style, green sports shorts and white T-shirt. He points up to Ada. They stand against graph paper on which are scrawled several calculations.
…on winning the #LittleRebelsAward in 2018 with Ada Twist, Scientist.
Abrams&Chronicle Books.
#KidLitUK
Catching up on last year’s #LittleRebelsAward Shortlistees:
@sflayzell.bsky.social Cottonopolis rubbing spines with those plain old bad heroines and the like in @ruebaldry.bsky.social ‘s “10 Lesbian Novels” recs for #LGBTHistory 2026
@northodoxpress.bsky.social
@schoolsoutuk.bsky.social
#KidLitUK
Empathy Lab asset. Dark blue with a frame of orange, pink & light blue stripes. Text reads, “Proud to be a Read for Empathy 2026 collection choice”. Book cover for Zac and Jac follows. “#ReadForEmpathy” bottom centre. Bottom left: Read for Empathy Collection logo with ‘celebrating 10 years’” Bottom right: Empathy Lab logo
And did you also see that 2025 #LittleRebelsAward Shortlistee, Zac and Jac made the #ReadForEmpathy collection? ⬇️⬇️⬇️
#KidLitUK
A #LittleRebelsAward Judge sharing her expertise with #ReadForEmpathy Collection.
#KidLitUK
Some beautiful #LittleRebelsAward / #EmpathyDay synching happening…
1/3 of Ambassadors-
@amdassu.bsky.social
@balirai.bsky.social
@lawrencepatrice.bsky.social
-have all championed social justice themed children’s books as #LittleRebelsAward shortlistees/winners.
#KidLitUK
The #LittleRebelsAward award is run by @letterboxlibrary.bsky.social and @housmansbookshop.bsky.social on behalf of the Alliance of Radical Booksellers 🙂
🪧✊🏽📣Dear fans of social justice children’s books:
You likely heard that the #LittleRebelsAward for Radical Children’s Fiction is on ⏸️/seeking funding.
The smallest thing you can do to offer support is to follow the award at @littlerebsprize.bsky.social
+ Insta
Thank you!
#KidLitUK
Rahana Dariah illustrated the magnificent Kende! Kende! Kende!, shortlisted for the #LittleRebelsAward last year.
Her warm, bright artwork raised this book, following a refugee family, into a story of hope and possibility.
Her talent and heart will be greatly missed.
From her publisher ⬇️
#KidLitUK
And this, my friends, is a happy motion picture 😉of our #LittleRebelsAward materials being mailed out to some lucky schools/libraries after @theclpe.bsky.social ran a giveaway last month.
5 additional luckies are getting a set of the 6 shortlisted books for FREE.
#KidLitUK
🪧❤️A REBELLIOUS CIRCLE OF LOVE❤️🪧
In addition to the winner’s prize, every year, former #LittleRebelsAward recipient, @gill-lewis.bsky.social , gives a donation to the most recent winner to pass on to a charity of their choice.
This year, @sarahhaggerholt.bsky.social donated to ….
#KidLitUK
Az Dassu, left, stands smiling with Patrice Lawrence. Patrice holds up two copies of Wild Journey. In a bookshop, surrounded by bookshelves.
Author Zanib Mian stands smiling, holding a copy of Wild Journey. Behind her is a tall bookshelf full of copies of the book. Just off to the right, in the background, we can see Az Dassu.
Fabulous to see the 2021 Winner of #littlerebelsaward @amdassu.bsky.social at the launch of her new MG book Wild Journey published by @zephyrbooks.bsky.social
Oooh- and two other winners in attendance!
Pic 1- with @lawrencepatrice.bsky.social (2023 winner)
Pic 2- Zanib Mian (2018 winner)
#KidLitUK
Plenty more #LittleRebelsAward 2025 Shortlistee Catchup (they’re all so busy!) Except this one is also our 2025 Winner.
@sarahhaggerholt.bsky.social is in the middle of @empathylabuk.bsky.social’s Empathy Action Month. The #littlerebelsaward winning title is in perfect synch!
#KidLitUK
Background image taken from the picture book Kende! Kende! Kende! Superimposed are extracts from author Kirsten Cappy’s quote. Reads: “Imagine a country bereft of Lillie’s living family. Imagine a country without Lolie’s future contribution as, perhaps, an engineer. Imagine the co-authors’ community without the actual men and women who gave their love and voice to this book. It is unacceptable and, thus, we rebel. May KENDE! KENDE! KENDE! make little rebels of all its readers”
More of our #LittleRebelsAward 2025 Shortlistee Catchup…
The creatives behind the wonderful Kende! Kende! Kende! couldn’t attend our award night but Kirsten Cappy sent such a lovely message, packed with rebelliousness!
Extract below.
#KidLitUK
#UKKidLit
@childsplayusa.bsky.social
A section in the book called “About the Author”. This lists all of the author’s award credits including The Little Rebels Award.
The cover of Az Dassu’s new book. Orange/black/white palette. 5 small illustrations depict each of the 5 chapters: An injured starling being cradled in 2 hands 2 camel riders linked with a rope A prowling wolf A child runs with homemade ‘wings’ An artist’s sketch book The 5 pictures are linked by a curving swirl- a starling murmuration Subtitle reads, “a flight of stories across deserts & forests, cities & seas”
We blush proudly whenever we see our name in #LittleRebelsAward winners’ subsequent works.
Here we are, listed in @amdassu.bsky.social ‘s brand new illustrated middle grade: Wild Journey.😊
@headofzeus.bsky.social
#UKKidLit #KidLitUK
A screenshot from Instagram. Cover images of Mayowa & the Sea of Words and Ghostlines . Text details how both Bloomsbury titles have been chosen for the Waterstones Paperback list for 2025.
Continuing our #LittleRebelsAward 2025 Shortlistee Catchup…
Chibundu Onuzo’s Mayowa & the Sea of Words was chosen for Waterstones’ Paperback list for 2025.👏👏👏
@bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social
#KidLitUK #UKKidLit
A screenshot from a post by @ChildrensLFest on Twitter. Reads: “CONGRATULATIONS Winner of our #clfbookawards in the Independent & Small Publishers Young Reader category - chosen by children from 30 schools and 5 libraries: Cathy Jenkins & Monique Steel. #NationalYearofReading every year #readingforpleasure” Beneath text is a visual asset declaring the same with the cover of the book, “Zac & Jac”.
Playing #LittleRebelsAward 2025 Shortlistee Catchup…
How did we fail to notice that Cathy Jenkins won the Children’s Lit Fests 2025’s Indie & Small Publisher Young Reader Award?
Such a lovely win as children’s votes carry huge weight.
Congrats Cathy! @graffegbooks.bsky.social
#KidLitUK
