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!