Since 2019 The Diverse Book Awards have been showcasing titles by diverse authors and illustrators and featuring diverse characters.  The award was created by duo Abiola Bello and Helen Lewis and is only getting bigger each year!   While there is growing diversity in traditional publishing, self publishing also produces a lot of diverse fiction. Both routes to publishing are welcome nominees for The Diverse Book Awards which specifically celebrates diversity in fiction.  And it should be celebrated because in the award’s own words “Everyone deserves to see themselves represented. It’s about a range of characters that are not from the same walks of life. This can be diversity in class, race, gender identity, sexuality, disability, background and other forms of identity.”

The awards feature four categories:

• Picture Book
• Children’s Fiction
• Young Adult (YA) Fiction
• Adult Fiction

View 2023 shortlists and winners here.