Guest post written by Elaine, librarian
The East Sussex Children’s Book Awards 2025 ceremony is fast approaching! On Tuesday 10 June, the book awards is holding its ceremony where the winner will be announced. The winning book is chosen for by children across East Sussex in participating schools.
Whether you like children’s fiction or are looking for recommendations for your child, we have you covered with a round up. Spot the quotes provided by school children across East Sussex
Here are the nominated books for 2025:
Arkspire by Jamie Littler
Arkspire is a city obsessed by magic. Within the hustle and bustle of its cobbled streets lives Juni Bell, a thief who’d do anything for her family. One night a mysterious stolen relic explodes, revealing a mysterious creature.
What follows is a high-octane adventure that will you have frantically turning the pages to see what happens next!
Glorious, powerful, magic! A city of twists, turns and tricksters. And extraordinary secrets which only one girl can uncover. Welcome to the world of Arkspire.
Attack of the Vampire Sheep by Emily-Jane Clark
Maggie McKay is not happy. Her mum has decided to move from their flat in Leicester to a house in Knobbly Bottom.
Knobbly Bottom has got no soft play centres, no toy shops and no horses. There are just fields, church fetes, and a bunch of boring old sheep!
But Maggie soon discovers that Knobbly Bottom is also full of secrets. The sheep are growing fangs, their eyes are turning red, and they’re planning to take over the world.
Storm Child by Ele Fountain
Maya Penrose has saltwater running in her veins. She’s the best surfer for miles, living a carefree life with her fisherman dad and baker mum. But money is running out, and businessmen are after their land.
When her dad loses his fishing boat in a terrible storm, her parents decide to start over. Travelling to the other side of the world, they plan to teach sailing and diving.
But Maya will soon discover that life on a tropical island isn’t always paradise.
The Night Train by Sarah Driver
Twelve-year-old Bea lives with her mother Ula and her owl Pip in a cottage. Since the dreams disappeared, and an affliction of nightmares began sweeping across the lands. Everyone is leaving and their settlement is being abandoned. But when Ula grows sick with the affliction, she won’t leave – and she’s keeping a secret from Bea. Just as Bea begins to despair, the mysterious Night Train steams across the moors, bringing a stranger and the chance to save her mother.
But the nightmares are following close behind.
The Diary of a (sort of) hero by Tom Vaughan
If Hercules Braver is going to survive his new secondary school, he has to live up to his name, fast.
He needs to become strong and tanned and popular, like a Greek hero. Not weak and pale and unpopular, like a Greek yoghurt.
But his bid for popularity ends up saddling him with a set of impossible tasks – like cleaning out the monster-riddled school pond, facing the school bully and finding the headmaster’s cat. Then Herc’s charming, impressive birth dad turns up after years living in Greece. Hercules thinks his problems are solved. With God-like strength and awe-inspiring powers, could his dad even be the real Zeus?! Will Hercules learn what it truly means to be a hero…
Kòkú Àkànbí and the Heart of Midnight by Maria Motúnráyọ̀ Adébísí
When 13-year-old Kòkú Àkànbí accidentally unleashes a demon on a school trip, he has no idea what he’s set in motion.
Suddenly Kòkú is whisked away from his life in London and transported to his family’s homeland of Olori, a mysterious place in which darkness is about to disappear forever – along with the magical creatures living within it.
Accompanied by two super-powered sidekicks, Kòkú embarks on a mission to save Olori – and unlock his own extraordinary power…
Out of the mouth of babes
Don’t just take our word for it that these books are great! Hear from students across East Sussex on what they loved about the books this year:
Arkspire: “I would recommend this book to my friend Lenny because he likes magical things, and this book is all of his favourite things put together, humour mystery magic, a perfect combo.”
Attack of the Vampire Sheep: “I would recommend this book to people who like comedy but twisted with a bit of horror and fantasy.”
Storm Child: “People who love a thrill and enjoy books revolving around real life but with a plot a twist shaking up the story like adding spice to a boring meal.”
The Night Train: “I would recommend this to people who like reading about magic in a strange mythical world. It is a tangled tale of truth lies and fantasy.”
The Diary of a (sort of) Hero: “My favourite part of the story was when Herakles and Hattie try to pull the “pond monster” out of the muddy pond. They then realise it was just a frog. I thought it was funny because they were so disappointed.”
Kòkú Àkànbí and the Heart of Midnight: “I enjoyed it so much I would recommend it to everyone, it was so good I loved all it, nothing I didn’t like.”
The East Sussex Book Awards winner will be announced on Tuesday 10 June 2025! Make sure you are following Your East Sussex on Instagram @your_east_sussex and East Sussex Libraries @eastsussexlibraries for book news, info and recommendations.
