The 2024 shortlists for The Nibbies—as the British Book Awards is fondly called—have been announced and they feature Nigerian-British author Yomi Adegoke, Nigerian-British actor Arinzé Kene, Ugandan-British actress Sheila Atim, Senegalese-Irish author Leon Diop, Botswanan-British entrepreneur Steven Bartlett, Nigerian-British author Atinuke, Nigerian-British Illustrator Kingsley Nebechi, as well as Ethiopian-British poet Lemn Sissay.
The prize was established in 1990 by Fred Newman under the ownership of Agile Marketing, before it was taken over by The Bookseller in 2017. Often regarded as the literati’s BAFTAs, The Nibbies tends to serve as a junction for all who contribute to the creation of books and those who read them. This it does by highlighting the authors and artists who have piqued readers’ hearts and imaginations, as well as the industry behind the scenes who have brought them to life through 13 distinctive categories.
The 13 categories of the award are: Children’s Illustrated, Children’s Non-Fiction, Children’s Fiction, Fiction, Début Fiction, Crime & Thriller, Pageturner, Non-Fiction: Lifestyle and Illustrated, Non-Fiction: Narrative, Audiobook Fiction, Audiobook Non-Fiction, Discover, and Overall Book of the Year.
Previous winners include Bernardine Evaristo, Oyinkan Braithwaite, David Olusoga, Caleb Azumah Nelson, and Dapo Adeola. This year’s winners will be announced at a ceremony in London, UK on Monday, May 13, 2024.
