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