Great Reads Award 2026
We are delighted to announce this fabulous set of children’s books as the finalists for the Great Reads Award 2026, an award for Irish debut children’s books, selected by us school librarians. The shortlist features an interesting and colourful set of books, ranging from picture books for the youngest readers to teenage stories for the young adults taking part in the Award, and there is something for all readers to enjoy.
Congratulations to the wonderful Irish and Ireland-based writers and illustrators on the list. We loved reading your amazing debuts!
Primary and Secondary schoolchildren across Ireland are encouraged to read some or all of these amazing books and vote online for their favourites.
Registration is now open at: https://bit.ly/GRA26
Thanks to our kind sponsors, we have books to give away – simply register your school by the 23rd October 2026 to be entered into a draw for a set of all of the shortlisted titles.
Registration closes 30th January 2027
Voting deadline is 12th February 2027.
Award event will take place in early March 2027
Happy Reading!
With thanks to our sponsors:
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Great Reads Award 2025
We are delighted to present the 2025 Great Reads Award shortlist. Congratulations to the wonderful Irish and Ireland-based writers and illustrators on the list. We loved reading your amazing debuts!
Voting has now closed – thanks to all students, and to teachers, librarians, parents / guardians and other facilitators. And of course to authors, illustrators and publishers. Results to come…
>> Great Reads Award voting closed at midnight 9th March 2026 <<
Primary and Secondary students: thank you for all your votes, and your records of reading, and the interesting comments!
Author videos for 2025 shortlist
Meet the Books
GRA sub-committee: Joe Doyle, Lorna Vogelsang (with special thanks to Doreen Lundon, and all the SLG Committee)
With thanks to our sponsors:
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Great Reads Award winners 2024
The Great Reads Award ceremony was held on the 8th April in DCU’s Creggan Library.
It was a great event, with over 100 students in attendance, most of the shortlisted authors, illustrators and some of their publishers.
The excellent Dave Rudden MC’d for us and announced the winners, voted on by the students over the last few months.
The Primary School winner was Dinosaur Pie by Jen Wallace and Alan O’Rourke (illustrator), and the Secondary School winner was Into the Witchwood by Méabh McDonnell.
59 schools in total registered to take part in the awards this year and we had great participation in the voting.
Thanks to everyone who took part, and huge thanks to the GRA committee, Doreen Lundon, Lorna Vogelsang and Teresa Curtin for all of the admin and organisation it took for the event to go so smoothly yesterday, and it went very smoothly! Massive thanks as well to Barbara Davis for all the work on the rebrand this year, logos and all the materials look great. There was a lot of support from the wider LAI School Libraries Group, particularly Kathleen Moran, we appreciated everyone’s input and advice.
Onwards to GRA 2025!
GRA Author Videos
Courtney Smith: The Undetectables
Eibhlis Carcione: Welcome to Deadtown
Niamh Doyle: Mighty Mindsets
Jen Wallace: Dinosaur Pie
Siobhan McDermott: Paper Dragons
Tom Birkett: Norse Mythology
GRA Poster and Resource Pack
2024 Sponsors
Proudly sponsored by the Youth Library Group of the Library Association of Ireland, JCSP Libraries and Vibes and Scribes, Cork.
