Picture Fiction for Early Readers

2025-26 Shortlist

2025-26 Longlist

Kelly Ashley is a Lecturer in Reading for Pleasure at The Open University, where her work brings together research, practice and professional development to support children and young people as engaged, motivated readers and writers. She has worked across education as a teacher, adviser and researcher, collaborating with schools, libraries and literacy organisations nationally and internationally.

Kelly is particularly interested in how reading and writing help children make sense of the world, shape identity and build connection. She leads and contributes to a range of programmes that champion children’s literature, reader choice and joyful reading cultures. She feels lucky to spend much of her working life reading children’s books and talking about them with others.

Previous winners

You can find the previous winners below. For all other categories and for runners up, visit our past winners page.

2025-26 Shortlist