The Waterstones Children's Book Prize is an annual award given to a work of children's literature published during the previous year. First awarded in 2005, the purpose of the prize is "to uncover hidden talent in children's writing" and is therefore open only to authors who have published no more than three books.
laura Beginning in 2012, the prize was divided into three categories: Picture Books, Fiction 5–12, and Teen. Each category winner receives £2,000 with an overall winner chosen from the three getting an additional £3,000 (thus the overall winner receives £5,000 in total).
Winners and shortlists
2005 – The Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill
Nelly the Monster Sitter by Kes Gray
Siberia by Ann Halam
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
The Merrybegot by Julie Hearn
The Whole Business with Kiffo and the Pitbull by Barry Jonsberg
Urchin of the Riding Stars by M. I. McAllister
The Whispering Road by Livi Michael
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
Olivia Kidney by Ellen Potter
Jammy Dodgers on the Run by Bowering Sivers
The Time Wreccas by Val Tyler
2006 – The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach
The Quantum Prophecy by Michael Carroll
Gregor and the Rats of Underland by Suzanne Collins
Jack Slater, Monster Investigator by John Dougherty
Ralph the Magic Rabbit by Adam Frost
The Lottery by Beth Goobie
North Child by Edith Pattou
Spymice by Heather Vogel Frederick
2007 – Darkside by Tom Becker
Nathan Fox: Dangerous Times by L. Brittney
Jake Cake: The Werewolf Teacher by Michael Broad
Sebastian Darke by Philip Caveney
A Swift Pure Cry by Siobhan Dowd
Bunker 10 by J. A. Henderson
The Black Book of Secrets by F. E. Higgins
The Case of the Missing Cats by Gareth P. Jones
The Thing with Finn by Tom Kelly
Smugglers by Christopher Russell
2008 – Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls
Tumtum and Nutmeg by Emily Bearn
TIM Defender of the Earth by Sam Enthoven
Shadow Forest by Matt Haig
Blue Sky Freedom by Gabrielle Halberstam
Between Two Seas by Marie-Louise Jensen
Ancient Appetites by Oisín McGann
Stone Goblins by David Melling
Broken Soup by Jenny Valentine
2009 – 13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison
How Kirsty Jenkins Stole the Elephant by Elen Caldecott
Zelah Green Queen of Clean by Vanessa Curtis
Changeling by Steve Feasey
Gnomes are Forever by Ceci Jenkinson
The Lady in the Tower by Marie-Louise Jensen
Mapmaker's Monsters by Rob Stevens
Numbers by Rachel Ward
2010 – The Great Hamster Massacre by Katie Davies
Flyaway by Lucy Christopher
The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh
The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester
Love, Aubrey by Suzanne Lafleur
The Seven Sorcerers by Caro King
The Toymaker by Jeremy De Quidt
Meteorite Strike by A. G. Taylor
Desperate Measures by Laura Summers
2011 – Artichoke Hearts by Sita Brahmachari
The Memory Cage by Ruth Eastham
Tall Story by Candy Gourlay
The Pain Merchants by Janice Hardy
Wereworld: The Rise of the Wolf by Curtis Jobling
Fantastic Frankie and the Brain-Drain by Anna Kemp
A Beautiful Lie by Irfan Master
Mortlock by Jon Mayhew
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
For 2011 publications the Prize was divided into three categories with separate shortlists, announced in February 2012.
2012 – The Pirates Next Door by Jonny Duddle (Overall and Picture Book)
Teen
You Against Me, Jenny Downham
Being Billy, Phil Earle
Amy and Roger's Epic Detour, Morgan Matson
My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, Annabel Pitcher
Divergent, Veronica Roth
Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys
Fiction 5-12
The Brilliant World of Tom Gates, Liz Pichon
The Windvale Sprites, Mackenzie Crook
Muncle Trogg, Janet Foxley
Sky Hawk, Gill Lewis
Milo and the Restart Button, Alan Silberberg
Claude in the City, Alex T. Smith
Picture Book
The Pirates Next Door, Jonny Duddle
No!, Marta Altés
I Don't Want to be a Pea!, Ann Bonwill and Simon Rickerty
A Bit Lost, Chris Haughton
I Want My Hat Back, Jon Klassen
Good Little Wolf, Nadia Shireen
2013 – Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher (Overall and Teen)
Teen
Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Skin Deep by Laura Jarratt
Insignia by S. J. Kincaid
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Geekhood: Close Encounters of the Girl Kind by Andy Robb
Fiction 5-12
Wonder by R. J. Palacio
The Wolf Princess by Catherine Constable
Atticus Claw Breaks the Law by Jennifer Gray
The Secret Hen House Theatre by Helen Peters
Chronicles of Egg: Deadweather and Sunrise by Geoff Rodkey
I Am Not A Loser by Jim Smith
Picture Book
Lunchtime by Rebecca Cobb
Rabbityness by Jo Empson
Oh No, George! by Chris Haughton
The Worst Princess by Anna Kemp
The Journey Home by Frann Preston-Gannon
Can You See Sassoon? by Sam Usher
2014 — Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell (Overall and Fiction 5-12)
Teen – Geek Girl by Holly Smale
The Bone Dragon by Alexia Casale
Butter by Erin Lange
If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch
Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O'Porter
Our of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
Fiction 5-12 – Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell
The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani
Darcy Durdock by Laura Dockrill
Shiverton Hall by Emerald Fennell
Skull in the Wood by Sandra Greaves
The Last Wild by Piers Torday
Picture Book – Open Very Carefully by Nicola O'Byrne
Harold Finds a Voice by Courtney Dicmas
Weasels by Elys Dolan
Penguin in Peril by Helen Hancocks
Time For Bed, Fred! by Yasmeen Ismail
The Crocodile Who Didn't Like Water by Gemma Merino