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Books Are My Bag Readers Awards

Curated by bookshops, chosen by readers

 

The Books Are My Bag Readers Awards are one of a kind. They're the only book awards curated by bookshops and chosen by booklovers like you!

Launched in 2016, the awards include categories which celebrate fiction, non-fiction, beautiful books, breakthrough authors, poetry and books written for children and young adults, with shortlists chosen by booksellers across the UK and Ireland. The Readers' Choice Award – nominated and voted for entirely by booklovers – completes the set.

Discover all the previous winners of the Readers Awards below.

Books Are My Bag Readers Awards Winners 2022

 

Books Are My Bag Readers Awards winners 2022Fiction
Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson (HarperCollins)

Non-Fiction
The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye (Penguin Books)

Poetry
The Fire People by Lemn Sissay (Canongate Books)

Children's Fiction
Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Being Good by Louie Stowell (Walker Books)

Young Adult Fiction
All That's Left in the World by Erik. J. Brown (Hachette Children's Group)

Breakthrough Author
Alice Oseman, author of the Heartstopper series (Hachette and HarperCollins)

Readers' Choice
Heartstopper by Alice Oseman (Hachette Children's Group)

Books Are My Bag Readers Awards Winners 2021

 

BAMB Readers Awards Winners 2021Fiction
Still Life by Sarah Winman (4th Estate)

Non-Fiction
I Belong Here: A Journey Along the Backbone of Britain by Anita Sethi (Bloomsbury)

Poetry
The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman (Chatto & Windus)

Children's Fiction
When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle (Andersen Press)

Young Adult Fiction
Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé (Usborne)

Breakthrough Author
Marcus Rashford, author of You Are A Champion written with Carl Anka (Macmillan Children's Books)

Readers' Choice
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (Penguin)

Books Are My Bag Readers Awards Winners 2020

 

Readers Awards winners 2020Fiction
The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton (Raven Books, Bloomsbury)

Non-Fiction
Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty (Little Toller Books)

Poetry
Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright: An Animal Poem for Every Day of the Year by Britta Teckentrup and Fiona Waters (Nosy Crow)

Young Adult Fiction
Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron (Bloomsbury)

Children's Fiction
The Highland Falcon Thief by M.G. Leonard & Sam Sedgman, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli (Macmillan Children's Books)

Breakthrough Author
Jean Menzies author of Greek Myths (DK)

Readers' Choice
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell (Tinder Press)

Books Are My Bag Readers Awards Winners 2019

 

Readers Awards winners 2019Fiction
Circe by Madeline Miller

Non-Fiction
Becoming by Michelle Obama

Poetry
The Flame by Leonard Cohen

Breakthrough Author
Greta Thunberg for No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference

Readers' Choice
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Pérez

Children's Fiction 
No Ballet Shoes in Syria by Catherine Bruton

Young Adult 
Toffee by Sarah Crossan

Beautiful Book
The Binding by Bridget Collins, designed by Micaela Alcaino (The Borough Press)

Outstanding Contribution to Bookselling
Trevor Goul-Wheeker

Books Are My Bag Readers Awards Winners 2018

 

Readers Awards winners 2018Novel
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Non-Fiction
The Secret Barrister: Stories of the Law and How It’s Broken by The Secret Barrister

Poetry
The Last Hedgehog by Pam Ayres, illustrated by Alice Tait

Breakthrough Author
Sarah J. Harris for The Colour of Bee Larkham’s Murder

Young Readers - Middle Grade 
The Storm Keeper's Island
by Catherine Doyle

Young Readers - YA 
La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust Volume One by Philip Pullman

Beautiful Book
Virago Modern Classics 40th anniversary series designed by Hannah Wood, illustrated by Yehrin Tong (Little, Brown)

Readers' Choice
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Outstanding Contribution to Bookselling
Vivian Archer (Newham Bookshop)

Books Are My Bag Readers Awards Winners 2017

 

Readers Awards winners 2017Popular Fiction
How to Stop Time by Matt Haig 

Non-Fiction
This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam Kay

Novel
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

Young Readers - Middle Grade (7-11)
Letters from the Lighthouse by Emma Carroll 

Young Readers - Young Adult (12-18) 
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Breakthrough Author
Kate Tempest for The Bricks that Built the Houses

Beautiful Book
The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris

Readers' Choice
This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam Kay

Books Are My Bag Readers Awards Winners 2016

 

Fiction
Grief is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter  

Non-Fiction
Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

Biography & Autobiography
The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson

Children's
The Detective Dog by Julia Donaldson and Sara Ogilvie

Breakthrough Author
Joanna Cannon for The Trouble with Goats and Sheep

Beautiful Book
The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry and designed by Pete Dyer

Readers' Choice
The Good Immigrant edited by Nikesh Shukla

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