We're delighted to announce the shortlist for the Independent Bookshop Week (IBW) Book Award. As voted for by local independent bookshops and judged by a panel of authors, booksellers and journalists, the three winners - in Adult, Children’s and Picture Book categories - will be announced on Friday 15 June, the day before the start of this year’s IBW. With the shortlisted and winning titles available at all participating bookshops, a number of the authors involved will be visiting their local indies during the week. 

The IBW Book Award 2018 shortlists:
 
Adult
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman
The Secret Life of Cows – Rosamund Young
This is Going to Hurt – Adam Kay
Life in the Garden – Penelope Lively
A Gentleman in Moscow – Amor Towles
I am, I am, I am – Maggie O’Farrell
Birdcage Walk – Helen Dunmore
Elmet – Fiona Mozley
Midwinter Break – Bernard MacLaverty
How Not to Be a Boy – Robert Webb


Shortlist nominee for the Adult Category, Adam Kay commented: "Just when I thought I couldn't love indie bookshops any more, they've got behind This is Going to Hurt from the absolute start, hosted dozens of hugely inventive events with me around the country, and sold more copies than I could have ever dreamed of. To now be nominated for an Independent Bookshop Week award is the icing on an already truly terrific cake - thank you."
Children’s
The Explorer – Katherine Rundell
Things a Bright Girl Can Do – Sally Nicholls
Letters from the Lighthouse – Emma Carroll
Sky Song – Abi Elphinstone
A Skinful of Shadows – Frances Hardinge
The 91-Storey Treehouse – Andy Griffiths & illustrated by Terry Denton
We Come Apart – Sarah Crossan & Brian Conaghan
The 1000 Year Old Boy – Ross Welford
Nevermoor – Jessica Townsend
Release – Patrick Ness
A Spoonful of Murder – Robin Stevens
The Bolds on Holiday – Julian Clary & illustrated by David Roberts
Where the World Ends – Geraldine McCaughrean


Shortlist nominee for the Children’s Category, Robin Jarvis said: “I'm utterly delighted that A Spoonful of Murder has been chosen as one of the Independent Book Week Book Awards 2018 shortlisted titles. I know that the love and support I received from independent bookstores from the very beginning of my series has helped it become the success it is today, and given me the chance to write A Spoonful of Murder. I'm proud to have the chance to return the favour and show my support for indies during this year's Independent Bookshop Week!”

Shortlist nominee for the Picture Book Category, illustrator Rachel Bright added: “I’m so excited to hear The Squirrels Who Squabbled has been chosen for this shortlist. Each and every independent bookshop, to my mind, is nothing short of a magical portal to a thousand different worlds and whatever adventure you hope for. To be amongst a shortlist of stories picked by such passionate hands is just the highest compliment.”
Picture Book:
Fantastically Great Women who Made History – Kate Pankhurst
Lots: The Diversity of Life on Earth– Nicola Davies & illustrated by Emily Sutton
You Choose in Space – Pippa Goodhart & illustrated by Nick Sharratt
Grandad’s Secret Giant – David Litchfield
Katinka’s Tail – Judith Kerr
The Squirrels Who Squabbled – Rachel Bright & illustrated by Jim Field
I Love You, Stick Insect – Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
The Everywhere Bear – Julia Donaldson & illustrated by Rebecca Cobb
The Grotlyn – Benji Davies
Kevin – Rob Biddulph
What the Ladybird Heard on Holiday – Julia Donaldson & illustrated by Lydia Monks
Superbat – Matt Carr

This year the IBW Book Award judging panels will be chaired by former BA President, Rosamund de la Hey and current BA President Nic Bottomley, and will include Joanna Cannon, author (The Trouble with Goats & Sheep, Three Things About Elsie); Debbie James, The Kibworth Bookshop; Sandy Mahal, UNESCO Nottingham City of Literature; Will Smith, Sam Read Booksellers; Yasmeen Ismail, author and illustrator (I’m A Girl!, Time for Bed, Fred); Wei Ming Kam, author (contributor to The Good Immigrant), blogger; Natasha Radford, Chicken & Frog Bookshop and Tony West, Alligator’s Mouth Bookshop.

Chair of Judges, Nic Bottomley, BA President and Mr B’s Emporium, commented: “This award is unique, in that its shortlist is generated from the opinions of the nation’s independent booksellers – the daily curators of an immense breadth of fiction and non-fiction titles. When a customer walks into a bookshop and asks for a recommendation, they never know what might fall into their hands; it could be a memoir of multiple close scraps with death, a novel set in 18th century Bristol or anything else in between. For myself and the rest of the panel, judging the variety of titles on offer is going to be a challenge, but an absolute joy to be a part of.”