The longlist is here! From the big publishing houses to the smallest presses, a record number of publishers submitted to the award this year, and while the genre-spanning submissions touched on social justice issues in a variety of ways, the longlisted titles are those where the radical content formed the very bones of the story.
On behalf of the Alliance of Radical Booksellers, we are delighted to reveal the thirteen books longlisted for the 2025 award:
Alyssa and the Spell Garden
by Alexandra Sheppard (Faber & Faber)
Sent to spend the summer holidays with auntie Jasmine in Holloway (London), Alyssa discovers she comes from a lineage of magic, one which she works hard to perfect in auntie’s spell garden. She quickly learns that this particular magic only flourishes if it’s put to the good of others. And soon, that focus is needed, as the local area becomes strangled by gentrification, a shift in landscape which masks creeping capitalist forces in the form of greedy developers. Rents soar sky-high, evictions are threatened, small businesses disappear almost overnight, local amenities become monetised. Fighting back will take magic but also, more than that, a newly forged community. Middle Grade debut for YA author, Alexandra Sheppard.
Bobby Bains Plays a Blinder
by Bali Rai, illustrated by Daniel Duncan (Barrington Stoke)
While out helping his mum deliver food to the local community, Bobby Bains comes across a lonely elderly resident, kick-starting a mission to bring two of his passions together: football and looking out for others. Addresses food poverty and social isolation and effectively models socialist collective care. By previous Little Rebels Award Shortlistee, Bali Rai with illustrations by Daniel Duncan. Published by Barrington Stoke famed for their dyslexia-friendly chapter book formats.
Cottonopolis
by S F Layzell (Northodox Press)
A short and pacy chapter book set in the slums of 1840s Little Ireland, Manchester starring Nellie Doyle whose family are struggling to survive from hand to mouth. A welcome distraction comes in the form of workhouse resident, Chloe Valentine (who is mixed race), offering a belief in magic, friendship and perhaps a little more. A historical portrayal of working class struggle and endurance amidst extreme poverty and inhumane labour conditions. References enslavement and Black emancipation. A rare pre-twentieth-century foregrounding of queer and PoC identities. By debut author, S F Layzell. Indie publisher, Northodox Press, who elevate writing from Northern England.
The Fights That Make Us
by Sarah Hagger-Holt (Usborne)
Two parallel stories collide: Lisa and Nicky, in the 1980s, falling in love against the backdrop of the prohibitive, homophobic, legislation, Section 28; friends Jesse, who identifies as non-binary, and Simran, who identifies as pansexual, pushing back against current day prejudices. An important tribute to the LGBTQ+ movement of the 1980s/90 and a celebration of contemporary activism. Winner of the Polari Prize 2024. By Sarah Hagger-Holt, winner of the Little Rebels Award 2022. One of two longlistees published by Usborne Publishing.
Keedie
by Elle McNicoll (Knights Of)
13-year-old Keedie Darrow lives in Jupiter, a tiny and inward looking Scottish village. It’s a place which makes her and her best friend Bonnie -who is also neurodivergent- feel exiled. But Keedie is passionate about her right to stand out and thrive. Determined to tackle their hostile environment at both an individual and structural level, she sets up an anti-bullying agency in her school (addressing both pupils and teachers) and, from here, she defiantly takes on the village, its legacies and traditions. As with McNicoll’s other work, this narrative also feels radical for its autistic protagonist’s unapologetic, righteously uncompromising voice. A novella prequel to A Kind of Spark, shortlisted for the Little Rebels Award in 2021. By Elle McNicoll. Published by indie, Knights Of.
Keisha Jones is a Force of Nature
by Natalie Denny, illustrated by Chanté Timothy (Little Tiger)
2nd in a series starring activist, Keisha Jones, and friends. In this outing, the mayor has ordered that the local park be destroyed to make way for a new car park serving the shopping mall. Inspired by stories of activist lawyer, Great Aunt Bee, Keisha sets out on a campaign which reads like an essential, child-friendly, toolkit for taking action, including: different ways of contacting decision-makers, designing campaign posters, composing protest songs, engaging the local press and tactics for galvanising the wider community. By Natalie Denny with illustrations by previous Little Rebels Award shortlistee, Chanté Timothy. Little Tiger Press.
Kende! Kende! Kende!
Written by Kirsten Cappy & Yaya Gentille, illustrated by Rahana Dariah (Child’s Play)
One of just 3 picture books on the longlist. A family escape violence in their country, joining a line of people on foot, then travelling by truck, then arriving at a UNHCR refugee camp until, finally, finally, they board a plane to a new country. While the region they flee is unspecified, the creators were inspired by the situation in the DRC and the dual language French/English text, interspersed with Lingala words, honours the many multilingual families of Central Africa. Every year lots of titles featuring refugees and asylum seekers are submitted to the award. Kende! stands out for the reliance, dignity and humanity accorded to Lolie and her family. By Kirsten Cappy & Yaya Gentille; illustrated by Rahana Dariah. Published by Child’s Play.
The Magic Callaloo
Written by Trish Cooke, illustrated by Sophie Bass (Walker Books)
A large callaloo plant with wish-giving properties grows steadily in a village square. But one night, one greedy man uproots it and whisks it away. And still later, he steals away one of the village’s children. But he didn’t reckon on Lou’s pluckiness. Nor her curly, shiny locks. Nor the wise woman who comes to plait her hair into an intricate design of zigzags and criss-crosses which will lead her home. A fairy tale in technicolour, inspired by and an homage to acts of resistance by enslaved Africans, such as the escape routes patterned into cornrowed hair. Text by Trish Cooke; illustrated by Sophie Bass. Walker Books.
Mayowa and the Sea of Words
by Chibundu Onuzo (Bloomsbury)
At the age of just 8, Mayowa started jumping on books. Despite her mum’s ban, Mayowa is still keeping up the family book leaping tradition 2 years later. With a visit to Grandpa Edward, she finally discovers what lies behind this legacy and what powers she can unleash into the world with the right training. A friendship with a local refugee family, an introduction to a campaigner and the imminent threat of the government passing a vicious anti-immigration bill, culminates in political polarisations, crescendoing in to a clash of magical forces and a fight between cruelty and compassion. Debut author, Chibundu Onuzo. First in a trilogy published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books.
Reek
by Alastair Chisholm, illustrated by George Caltsoudas (Barrington Stoke)
Sparrow and her family just about to manage to get by in a world ravaged by a climate catastrophe called the Reek. The people’s survival depends on one person’s control of clean air. A dystopian vision of the wealth and power accumulated and the social inequalities entrenched by uninhibited, monopolising tech billionaires… By Alastair Chisholm with illustrations by George Caltsoudas. A 2nd longlistee from publishers, Barrington Stoke.
We Can!
Text by Alexandra Strick, illustrations by Steve Antony (Otter-Barry Books)
A highly inclusive picture book which follows a group of children who share ideas about the world they want to live in, from making it greener to one which respects everyone’s identities, and then take that inspiration to a We Can! Festival. Hundreds of conversations with real children shaped this narrative with strong, undiluted messages about building a better world. A follow up to You Can! Text by Alexandra Strick; illustrated by Steve Antony. Indie publisher, Otter-Barry Books.
Witchspark
by Dominique Valente, with illustrations by Eleonora Asparuhova (Usborne)
First in a new series introducing the world of The Magic Isles, born from an earthquake which released magical “isle-spark” powers with a democratic reach across the population. But, recently, the Department of Isle-Spark Regulation has been announcing new rules to rein in the world’s magic, hiving it off not just for the richest people but, increasingly, for the richest men, harking back to an older patriarchal order. Pushing back is witch Miss Hegotty, determined to restore universal magic and two about-to-be heroes: Eglantine (who has a limb difference) and Princess Victoria. By Dominique Valente with illustrations by Eleonora Asparuhova. Usborne Publishing.
Zac and Jac
by Cathy Jenkins, with illustrations by Monique Steele (Graffeg)
9-year-old Jac has his very own, home-grown hero, Dad. And, within his tight knit group of friends he also has bestie, Zac. And, he’s finally getting to play football for the local team. But when Jac’s dad realises that means his son will be spending more time, not just with Zac, but Zac’s family, his behaviour becomes…bizarre. Slowly Jac realises that his ‘hero’ has been raised on racist ideas and is perpetuating them still. A direct, while also subtle, look at intergenerational racism. Debut author, Cathy Jenkins. Small Welsh publisher, Graffeg.
The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award 
One response to “The Little Rebels Award 2025 Longlist”
What a great list! I have read and enjoyed a couple of these but need to catch up 😊