The British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) has announced its shortlist for the British Book Design & Production Awards (BBDPA) 2025, following a reportedly high level of entries from publishers and printers across the UK.
The awards show characterises itself as the only industry awards dedicated to “celebrating excellence and craftsmanship in British book design and production.”
The winners of each category, which span a wide range of books published in 2025, will be revealed at a awards ceremony on Tuesday April 14th at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London.
Award categories include Excellence in Print Production, Fine Binding, Best Book Finishing, and Best Jacket/Cover Design.
In addition to 18 category winners, one stand-out title will be crowned Book of the Year. The awards also aims to champion emerging talent through a dedicated Student Book award, offering aspiring students the opportunity to win £500 and a short internship with a designer, publisher, or printer.
This year’s shortlist was selected by a panel of industry experts spanning creative design, print, publishing, and production. Judges reportedly commented on the exceptionally high standard of entries across all categories this year.
Meeka Walwyn-Lewis, head of marketing and operations at the BPIF, says: “Congratulations to all the companies that have made the BBDPA shortlist.
It is incredible to see so many amazing books being shortlisted for this year’s awards. The sheer amount and fantastic standard of entries we received shows that book design and print production is inspirational, innovative, and aspirational – a sector of the industry that is making major waves and continues to thrive.”
The event will also include a drinks reception, three course meal, and an evening of entertainment.
Sponsors of the event include Canon, Diamond Print Services, Muller Martini, Northend, The Printing Charity, Winter & Company, and media partners Oxford Brookes University and The Bookseller.
The full shortlist for the British Book Design & Production Awards 2025 is below:
Shortlist
Best British Book
- Frozen Hell (Roman Edition) – Areté Editions Ltd
- Before They Are Hanged (Deluxe Edition) – Curious King Books
- Historical Maps of The Gulf – DLM Creative
- The Alchemist (Lettered Edition) – Lyra’s Books
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – Lyra’s Books
- A Is for Ant – Printsmith Production
Excellence in Print Production
- Beowulf (The Morris Edition) – Books Illustrated Ltd
- Hyperion (Lettered Edition) – Curious King Books
- Eau So British – Empress Litho
- The Liberty Anthology – Hampton Printing (Bristol) Ltd
- Yachting: 100 Years – Hampton Printing (Bristol) Ltd
- The Iliad & The Odyssey – The Folio Society
Fine Binding
- Frozen Hell (Roman Edition) – Areté Editions Ltd
- Interview with the Vampire (Deluxe Edition) – Books Illustrated Ltd
- Before They Are Hanged (Lettered Edition) – Curious King Books
- The Alchemist (Lettered Edition) – Lyra’s Books
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – Lyra’s Books
- Tales of Mystery and Imagination – The Folio Society
Best Book Finishing
- Pride and Prejudice – British Library Publishing
- Bon Jovi: Forever – Genesis Publications
- The Great Gatsby – The Folio Society
- The Watercolors of Skurman Architects – Triglyph Books
- I Am. We Are. Liberty – Trolley Books
Brand / Series Identity
- Winnie-the-Pooh (100th Anniversary) – Farshore
- Children’s Pop-Up Biographies Series – Nextquisite Ltd
- Seasons Book Series – Nosy Crow
- This Little Book Series – Nosy Crow
- Tummy Time Series – Nosy Crow
Self-Published Books
- Call of the Warrior – Empress London
- Looking for Trouble – Empress London
- Trem da Música – Printsmith Productions
- Painters Tool – Sarah Larby
- Artisans of Dartmoor – Suzy Bennett
- L.A. Baby! – “Utter” & Press
- Taylor Brothers: The Story So Far – VIKA Books
Exhibition Catalogues
- Fragments: Ian Hamilton Finlay – ACC Art Books
- Linder: Danger Came Smiling – Hayward Gallery
- Mickalene Thomas: All About Love – Hayward Gallery
- Yoshitomo Nara – Hayward Gallery
- Madge Gill – Northend
- Poster Archive 200 – Northend
Photographic Books
- In the American West – Abrams and Chronicle Books
- Dear Marilyn – Unseen Letters and Photographs – ACC Art Books
- Marilyn Monroe – ACC Art Books
- How to Disappear – John Murray Group
- City Centre Survival – Printsmith Productions
- The Fight – The Folio Society
Art / Architecture Monographs
- The London Club: Architecture, Interiors, Art – ACC Art Books
- Cooling Towers – Batsford
- Phyllida Barlow: Sculpture 1963–2023 – Fruitmarket
- Order/Disorder: Tyler Hobbs – Hurtwood
- Joe Lycett’s Art Hole – Orion Publishing Group
- The Watercolors of Skurman Architects – Triglyph Books
Trade Illustrated
- Feline – Abrams and Chronicle Books
- The Radiant Sea – Abrams and Chronicle Books
- The Boroughs of London – Batsford
- The Periodic Table: From Alchemy to the Nuclear Age – DK
- Always Remember – Ebury, PRH UK
- Forgotten Churches – Quarto
Lifestyle Illustrated
- The Snack Hacker – Bonnier Books
- Flavour Heroes – Quadrille
- Kapusta – Quadrille
- Arabica: Small Plates, Big Connections – Quarto
Literature
- Hyperion (Deluxe Edition) – Curious King Books
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – Lyra’s Books
- Shout! – The Folio Society
- William Shakespeare: The Complete Plays – The Folio Society
Educational Books
- An Anthology of Remarkable Bugs – DK
- The Hidden Heroes of Science – DK
- A Story of the Seasons – Nosy Crow
- Whimwondery: An Alphabetarium of Useful Nonsense Inventions – Triglyph Books
Scholarly, Academic & Reference Books
- The Art of the Scribe – British Library Publishing
- The Hidden Heroes of Science – DK
- Eau So British – Empress London
- A Night to Remember – The Folio Society
Children’s Trade (0–8 Years)
- Dinosaur Dynasty – Bonnier Books
- The Little Prince: Pop-Up Book – Farshore
- Magic Searchlight: Ocean Animals – Gemini Books Group
- Hansel and Gretel – Hachette Children’s Group
- Letters from the North Pole – Magic Cat Publishing
- Doll’s House – Nosy Crow
- One Cat / Two Cats – Nosy Crow
- Pippi Longstocking – The Folio Society
- Marvellous Animal Homes – What on Earth!
Children’s Trade (9–16 Years)
- Alan King of the Universe – Hachette Children’s Group
- An Illustrated History of Urban Legends – Flying Eye Books
- The Notted Island – Flying Eye Books
- The Faerie Isle – – Walker Books
Best Jacket / Cover Design
- The Italian Way – DK
- Kimono – Grade Design
- Screenprints: A History – Grade Design
- Lugma – Quadrille
- David Lynch – Quarto
- Fireweather – Scribe UK / Scribble
- A Night to Remember – The Folio Society
- Fire and Blood – The Folio Society
Best Student Book
- Read Banned Books – Franziska Bourget, NCAD
- Submerged – Blaise Carroll, NCAD
- Behind the Beans – Ruby Cryer, UWE BristolSilencing – Sarah Cunningham, NCAD
- Bog Book – Laoise Gannon, NCAD
