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BookTrust Storytime Prize and voting

17 March 2025 

Find out all about the books shortlisted for the BookTrust Storytime Prize this year, and how families can vote for their favourites

The BookTrust Storytime Prize was launched in 2019 to find the best book for sharing with children aged 0–5, and since 2021 it has been part of BookTrust Storytime programme, designed to support libraries to inspire low-income families with children aged 0–5 to share stories together and make visiting their local library part of everyday life. 

Previous winners include Can you Tickle a Tiger by Gemma Cooper (Bobbie Brooks) and illustrator Carrie Hennon, Cyril and Pat by Emily Gravett, This is Owl by Libby Walden and Jacqui Lee, and The Whales on the Bus by Katrina Charman and Nick Sharratt.

Below, find out about the books on this year’s shortlist, check out our video library and explore information on how families can vote for their favourites.

The shortlisted books

  • book cover

    Into the Wild

    by Thomas Docherty 

    2023 4 to 6 years 

    • Picture books

    Joe loves wild animals and nature, but he lives in the city where it feels like there is no wildness to be found.

  • book cover

    Look Out! Hungry Snake: A hide-and-seek flap book

    by Paul Delaney 

    2024 0 to 2 years 

    • Board books
    • Interactive

    This lovely lift-the-flap book – with good, thick pages and flaps– is colourful and playful, and introduces little ones to a selection of animals and their noises or actions.

  • book cover

    Roarr!

    by Sam Taplin, illustrated by Ailie Busby 

    2024 2 to 4 years 

    • Board books
    • Interactive
    • Touch and feel books

    Experience excitement of the jungle as wildlife is brought to life by an interactive slider and animal sounds.

  • book cover

    Ten Little Ducklings

    by Lucy Rowland, illustrated by Aki 

    2024 2 to 4 years 

    • Interactive
    • Picture books
    • Poetry and rhyme

    A delightful and interactive rhyming book for little ones which uses the Ten Little Ducklings rhyme, but invents a variety of exciting adventures for the ducklings instead, asking readers to play hide and seek with the adorable little ducks. 

  • book cover

    Whisper Shout Let It Out

    by Madhvi Ramani, illustrated by Anuska Allepuz 

    2024 2 to 4 years 

    • Interactive
    • Picture books
    • Poetry and rhyme

    A bold, celebratory book all about children finding their inner voice. Join a group of friends as they experiment with the sounds they can make in this uplifting and energetic story.

Permissions guide: What you can do with the bookss
PDF | 97 KB

How the voting works

Families visiting libraries taking part in the enhanced BookTrust Storytime offer can vote by putting a sticker on the supplied poster if they enjoyed the book.

They’re welcome to vote for as many books as they enjoyed – the purpose of the poster is to encourage engagement, rather than to be an accurate vote counter!

Starting in January, libraries will be asked to complete a voting feedback form, recommending their families’ favourite book based on their overall reactions and comments about the shortlist. You may also wish to use the poster to help you come to your final decision.

Voting Instructions for the Book Trust Storytime Prize 2025
PDF | 131 KB