IBC, a literary charity whose free website makes it easy for families, librarians and teachers to source books to diversify their bookshelves. Now in their second year, the awards span three categories focusing on diverse titles for younger readers: baby & toddler books (for ages one to three), picture books (for ages three to seven) and highly illustrated children’s fiction (for ages five to nine).
Here is the winner and one of the shortlisted titles for 2025:
Two People Can, created by an award-winning Zimbabwean poet and British illustrator, explores loss, change and family, capturing the emotions of a mother and child in a deeply affecting way.
Blurb: Shingai's father has gone and Shingai and his mum are all alone and feeling lost. Shingai can’t contain the whirlwind of emotions inside him any more. He needs to let his feelings out.
Shingai is grieving his father, and his grief comes out as anger. He smashes the flowers in the garden and then begins to 'attack' things in the house. At first mum is so upset with him but then she realises her son needs to express his grief so in a beautiful moment she completely changes her reaction and grabs two boxes of cereal, and she shakes their contents all over the floor. Then mum sits down and cries. Shingai runs outside because seeing his mum crying is just too much. Under some bushes he sees two flowers still standing tall - these flowers escaped his earlier rampage.
"Dad is gone but we're the two flowers left, and we still have each other."
Publisher blurb:
Aminah's life is full of warmth and joy, from days spent in the golden sunshine eating juicy mangoes, to evenings curled up reading adventure stories with her grandfather, Da. But one day, Aminah is told she'll be leaving with her parents for their very own adventure, one that will take her away from Da and the sunny comforts of the life she's known . . .
Aminah moves to a completely different country - it looks like the UK. Her old home was filled with colours especially lots of yellow but this new place is cold and dull and so sad. Her grandfather is full of encouragement. He cannot be with them but they can talk on the phone and he is sure Aminah will find her colour again. She sees a beautiful yellow coat in a shop. It is perfect for a game in the snow and that is where Aminah finds a new friend.
It would be great to pair this with our Australian book:
Here are the 2025 shortlisted titles:
Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf by Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin
Strong Like Me by Kelechi Okafor and Michaela Dias-Hayes
Terrible Horses by Raymond Antrobus and Ken Wilson-Max
Two People Can by Blessing Musariri and Maisie Paradise Shearring
Until You Find the Sun by Maryam Hassan and Anna Wilson
Destiny Ink: Sleepover Surprise by Adeola Sokunbi
Keisha Jones Is a Force of Nature by Natalie Denny and Chanté Timothy
Marv and the Humongous Hamster by Alex Falase-Koya and Paula Bowles
Secret Beast Club: The Mer-People of Crystal Pier by Robin Birch and Jobe Anderson
You can find the 2024 shortlisted picture book titles and Fiction for ages 6-9. One of them was this one:
The IBC web page has an extensive collection of their favourite titles. These lists go on for over 50 pages so set aside some time to explore these terrific suggestions. Here are a few that I would love to read:
Higher Ground publisher blurb: After a great flood swallows their city, a wise grandmother, her two grandchildren, and their pet rabbit find themselves stranded on the only safe place left—the rooftop of their home. With nothing but their small garden and a handful of supplies, they must learn to survive in a world where the familiar streets have turned to endless water. Days turn into weeks, and weeks into months, as they face hunger, storms, and the uncertainty of what lies beyond the horizon. But through each hardship, the grandmother shares words of wisdom, teaching her grandchildren the power of resilience, kindness, and hope. As their garden grows, so too does their belief that even in the darkest times, life finds a way forward.
Publisher blurb
: This is the lyrical true tale of the author’s refugee journey with her family from Vietnam to the United Kingdom at just three years old, leaving home behind to set out in a tiny boat, first down a muddy river delta and then across the vastness of the sea. Spare, intimate, and rooted in specific history yet also profoundly universal, Chi Thai’s story is a reflection of crossings made daily in all corners of the world by families like hers who brave hunger, thirst, fear, and uncertainty in search of safety and a place to call home. With poetic text and warm, child-friendly illustrations from artist Linh Dao, this is the story of one remarkable family’s courage and resilience.
Bookseller blurb: Lots of people look after Fatima and her friends at the children's home, but Aunty Rae always makes Fatima feel special and loved. Even as the other children leave with their new parents, Aunty Rae encourages and cares for Fatima, filling her life with warmth and hope. Through the uncertainty and disappointments, Aunty Rae is a constant support. Together, Fatima and Aunty Rae look out at the bright North Star and dream of Fatima's happy future with a family waiting for her somewhere. But the brightest light in Little Fatima's life is her Aunty Rae, her bright shining star.
Bookseller blurb:
Juhi loves helping her Appa sell flowers to the local community. In Appa's flower shop, Juhi knows the language of love - lilies for adoration, irises for hugs and kisses. She knows the language of faith - frangipani for full moon days, red hibiscus for the temple. But when her Appa tells her that her favourite customer has passed away, she does not know the language of grief. While Appa makes a bouquet of lilies and orchids to bring to Mr Potter's funeral, Juhi decides to make him one final bouquet of her own. What flowers will she choose to remember a man who was always so full of life?
Publisher blurb: Bibi and Mo love to watch the first swallows arriving home to their lake in the summer. But soon, just like the swallows, Bibi has to go north for work. He tells Mo to think of him flying with the birds, and just like the swallows, when summer comes again, he will journey across the cities, oceans, grasslands and jungle, and over the tops of the mountains back to Mo.
Publisher blurb: Eunny wakes up slowly. She gets out of bed, goes to the window to look out at the busy street, and then heads downstairs. Soon it's time for school. Eunny and Mama step out into the crisp day, but they don't rush. They notice the pretty pink petals of new flowers, the changing red-gold leaves and the big blue sky above. It's easy to be happy on a blue sky morning.
