Nominations open for the Annual Children's Books Ireland Award 2026

July 2026
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Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin accepting a painting at the Children's Books Ireland International Conference 2025. He is surrounded by family.
2025 recipient of the Annual Children’s Books Ireland Award Writer and the founder-publisher at Futa Fata, Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin

*Please note, the deadline has passed and we are no longer accepting applications for the 2026 award.*

Children’s Books Ireland is inviting nominations for the Annual Children's Books Ireland Award 2026. This Award is made to an individual or organisation in recognition of an outstanding contribution to children's books and to the reading lives of children in Ireland.

The recipient is nominated by the members of Children's Books Ireland and chosen by the board of the organisation. The Award highlights the importance of reading for joy and the work that individuals and organisations around the country undertake to further that aim.

The Award will be presented at the Children's Books Ireland International Conference, on Saturday 19th September 2026. 

Weekend and one-day tickets for the conference are onsale now, with a discounted rate for Children's Books Ireland members. We'd love to see you there! 

Get tickets today!

How to submit a nomination

Have you got a perfect person in mind? Tell us all about them! To submit this nomination, email info@childrensbooksireland.ie with their name and up to 500 words on why they deserve to be the recipient of the Children's Books Ireland Award 2026.  

Deadline for submissions is 12 noon on Friday 21st August 2026. 

See the winners of the Annual Children's Books Ireland Award through the years
Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin accepting a painting at the Children's Books Ireland International Conference 2025. He is surrounded by family.
Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin, writer and the founder-publisher at Futa Fata, accepting the award at our 2025 conference.
Alan Nolan CBI Award Winner 2024
Author-illustrator Alan Nolan was the winner of the Annual Children’s Books Ireland Award in 2024.
Gabriel Rosenstock agus a teaglaigh ag Comhdháil Idirnáisiúnta Leabhair Pháistí Éireann 2023
Irish poet, author and translator Gabriel Rosenstock, winner of the Annual Children’s Books Ireland Award 2023. Joined by his family to celebrate his outstanding contribution to children’s books.
Kildare branch librarian, Carmel Hester, the 2022 recipient of the Annual Children’s Books Ireland Award for her outstanding contribution to children’s books.
Kildare librarian Carmel Hester, winner of the Annual Children's Books Ireland Award 2022.
Marian Keyes, winner of the Annual Children's Books Ireland Award 2021
Dr. Marian Keyes, Senior Executive Librarian at dlr LexIcon and Reader Development, winner of the Annual Children's Books Ireland Award 2021.
Photo of team members of the JCSP libraries project
2019 recipients, Kathleen Moran (centre holding with flowers) and members of the Junior Certificate School Programme Demonstration Library Project. (Also featured centre row left, Elaina Ryan, CEO Children's Books Ireland and Jane O'Hanlon, Education Officer of Poetry Ireland.)
Photo of Eve Moloney with boys from Scoil Ailbhe in Thurles
Eve Molony, volunteer librarian with students from Scoil Ailbhe, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, winner of the Annual Children's Books Ireland Award 2018.