Our fantastic panel of judges are hugely inspiring and influential. They are passionate about books and reading, each with expertise in their category and are well-known in the book writing, publishing and illustrating industry.  Don't forget that you can find out more about how entries are judged in our Entry Guide.

Announcing the Judges!

"The Week Junior Book Awards rewards and honours the authors and illustrators who are inspiring children to read for pleasure. We want to put a spotlight on the fantastic work coming out of the UK and the hugely talented people creating it. We’ve carefully chosen our judges to ensure we’re hearing from different voices with a diversity of experience. We can’t wait to read the entries and showcase the outstanding work produced by British publishers for this most important of audiences."

Anna Bassi, Editorial Director

Shortlist Committee

Meet our Shortlist Committee below. They are responsible for selecting entries against the criteria and will meet in person to agree on the final shortlist for the judges. 

Lynsey Pollard
Lynsey Pollard
Little Box of Books
Founder

Emma Scott
Emma Scott
Calibre Audio
Director of Commissioning and Editorial

Alom Shaha
Alom Shaha
Physics Teacher, Author and Film-Maker

Alice Smith
Alice Smith
Stemettes Futures Youth Board

Mel Taylor-Bessent
Mel Taylor-Bessent
Authorfy
Author and Director

Katherine Woodfine
Katherine Woodfine
Author and Literary Project Manager
Author and Book Reviewer

Harry Woodgate
Harry Woodgate
Award-winning Illustrator

Anna Bassi
Anna Bassi
The Week Junior
Editorial Director

Sanchita Basu De Sarkar
Sanchita Basu De Sarkar
The Children's Bookshop
Owner

Caroline Carpenter
Caroline Carpenter
The Bookseller
Children's Editor and Deputy Features Editor

Philip Jones
Philip Jones
The Bookseller
Editor

David Owen
David Owen
Usbourne Publishing
Isabel Popple
Isabel Popple
BookTrust
Book Selection and Purchasing Manager

Dawn Woods
Dawn Woods
School Library Association
Member Development Librarian