We are thrilled to announce that submissions for the Alligator’s Mouth Award 2026, in partnership with the Bright Agency and Gardners Books, are now open! We cannot wait to see what funny, interesting, and highly illustrated books will be submitted this year. 

 

Submission criteria

UK publishers are invited to submit highly illustrated early fiction that meets the following criteria:

• The book should be aimed at readers aged 6-8 and have illustrations on the majority of internal spreads. No picture books or graphic novels, please.

• The book should have been first published in the English language on a children’s list by a UK publisher.

• The book should have been first published between 1st October 2024 and 31st December 2025.

​

Full criteria and how to submit can be found on our Submission Guidelines. Click the images below to download the guidelines and entry forms: