We are absolutely thrilled to announce the shortlist for the Guppy Open Submission Competition 2025 – Nicki Marshall, editor extraordinaire from the Golden Egg Academy, and publisher Bella Pearson whittled down the 22 titles to 9 strong contenders. Listed here in no particular order:
Natalie Rutherford SHEEP SWAP
Mitu Malhotra MASALA CHIPS
Andrew Baird CHASE JONES AND THE SWINGING WITCH
Susanna Callaghan KALE BRADBURY AND THE SKOOBUBBLE
Ella Leith THE BOY AT THE WYNYATES
Deborah Prince RECIPE FOR A WITCH
Cathrin Hagey BUG WITCH
Lorna Gill SILENT SONG
Victoria Richards MAGGIE MAYHEM AND THE HAIRY HAMSTER PANTS
Congratulations to you all! And now it will be the difficult job of choosing a worthy winner!
Linda Sargent and Adamma Okonkwo, our two wonderful judges who have been there from the very start of the competition in 2019, will be joined this year by guest judge, Chris Baker, school librarian in Oxford and children’s book expert – watch this space for more info in due course.
And huge thanks to everyone who entered and made it to the longlist – such an achievement to get to that stage. We were so impressed with the standard this year, and had to make some difficult choices!