Announcing the Winners of the Book Cover of the Year Awards 2025
The winning titles of its Children’s & Young People’s Book Cover of the Year Awards 2025 have been announced.
The awards have two categories – English-language Book Cover and Welsh-language Book Cover.
Welsh-language category winner
Nos Da Blob (Y Lolfa).
Cover Illustration: Huw Aaron
Cover design: Opal Roengchai
Author: Huw Aaron
English-language category winner
Fishfolk (Firefly Press)
Cover illustration: Hannah Doyle
Author: Steven Quincey-Jones.
Huw Aaron said: “They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover… but everybody does, because care given to a cover indicates that the inside’s been cared for as well. So it’s great that we have these prizes celebrating the important craft of cover design. And, of course, I’m over the moon that little Blob has won this year! Huge thank you to Clare Doughty for steering this cover to its final form.”
Hannah Doyle said: “Thank you so much for choosing Fishfolk for the Children’s Book Cover of the Year Award! I am thrilled. Thank you to Firefly Press, and especially to Becka Moor for working her design magic to make the cover really stand out. And obviously to Steven Quincey-Jones for writing such an inspiring and atmospheric book. It was a wonderful project to be involved in.”
The awards were established to celebrate the contribution of illustrators and designers in bringing stories to life, and creating eye-catching, attractive books that appeal to young readers. They were awarded for the first time in 2024.
The six shortlisted books and the winning titles were selected by members of the Books Council of Wales’ Young People’s Panel.
The designer/illustrator of the winning cover in each category wins or shares a cash prize of £500.
The Awards are supported by the Welsh Government Education Department under the Curriculum for Wales Grant Support Programme.