The Wainwright Awards 2026
Hearing that I had three books shortlisted for the Wainwright Award 2026 was astonishing. So unusual, as usually an author will only publish one book in a year. This year The Book of Birds by myself and Robert Macfarlane was up against Wild Folk by myself and Tamsin Abbott in the same category. So, not only three books on the shortlist, but two in the same category. How could this be? The third title was in the picture book category; The Summer Puppy, written by me and illustrated by Cathy Fisher.
For now I would like to talk about Wild Folk.
Wild Folk has a turbulent history, its own drama. It survived the storms thanks to readers and now we find that it achieved its place on the shortlist thanks to booksellers. What is curious, I find, is that it is a first for the Wainwright.
In 2018 The Lost Words was shortlisted for the award. To the best of my knowledge this was the first time an illustrated book of its kind had made it to the longlist, and so also the shortlist, of the Wainwrights. The fact that it was also marketed as a book for children also made it a first. It didn’t win. The winner was The Seabird’s cry by Adam Nicholson, a book highlighting the plight of those birds least seen on our blue planet by human eyes.
Now, here we find Wild Folk, in the illustrated books category, with wonderful images by Tamsin Abbott, standing out as a first of its kind in being, I think, the first fiction book in the adult Wainwrights section. It is curious to me that there is a children’s fiction award, but as yet, no adult fiction category. I wonder, might Wild Folk seed a new category?
It is fantastic to see how the award has grown. It is my favourite awards ceremony to go to, because of the space that is given to the authours to speak about their work. It is an ecosystem of cross referencing, where many books overlap, touch upon similar subjects, explore and illuminate in so many ways, so when The Book of Birds won in its category it was quite wonderful, and bitter sweet, as it meant Wild Folk hadn’t won. But now, seeing it standing their bravely alone as a champion of how fiction can thread a story deep into a soul, speak from heart to heart, it feels very like Wild Folk won too. Just by being there.
We stayed at the most amazing place for a few days before the Wainwrights, a place called Painters Farm. Chris and Davina of Seven Fables, Tamsin and Mike, Robin, Cathy Fisher, Matthew Derr from Chelsea Green, publisher of Wild Folk and Janetta Otter-Barry, publisher of The Summer Puppy.
The house was wonderful, strange, welcoming. Great kitchen, and pool table where Chris and Davina taught me and Cathy to play. Warning, Davina definitely had a misspent youth!
The highlight of my stay was meeting Bagpuss, one of my all time favourite heroes. I spent a while with him while Tamsin went to see the cathedral. Suffice it to say I worshipped at the altar of Bagpuss. To see him properly I decided to draw him and loved people telling me that I really was very good at drawing, in a small and childlike way that made me smile inside. I knew that if someone had told my child self that one day I would meet Bagpuss, Gabriel the Toad, Professor Yaffle and see the dress Emily wore, I would have been thrilled. Pippin and Tog were there too, and the Clangers, Noggin the Nog and The Soup Dragon!!!!
On the way to our next adventure we called in at the Stained Glass Museum in Ely, where the original artwork for Wild Folk is exhibited at the moment, the exhibition extended by popular demand. Wow. What a place. Wonderful to see Tamsin’s exquisite work in such an amazing environment.
I’ve been so busy and there is so much to do and say. The Wainwrights took place on the Elmley Estate, a place of wonder. I NEED to go back as they have a massive roost of Marsh Harriers and I NEED to see them. You can stay on teh estate and I really hope to be able to do that some time. We were taken for a walk and saw shellduck and curlew and so so so many dragonflies. The wine was supplied by the Gusbourne Estate and was just wonderful, which made not drinking anything before the event very hard. I had wanted to keep a clear head to be sharp enough to speak if required.. I made up for it afterwards, but still have a bottle for Robert. The two trophies, one for its category, one for the overall winner, are now with Seven Fables, who were delighted to carry them back to the shop to display. They have always been such champions of all of the books that speak of and for and about the wilder world. I joined their Wild Reading club and this months title is now accompanying me. I’ve just finished reading The Given World by Melissa Harrison, a work of genius that would so belong in an adult fiction Wainwright category. The decorative nature of the cover lulls you in to a false sense of security. This is a fascinating read, with nods to the old gods, where the more than human play their part alongside the stories of the human inhabitants. Not read anything for a while anywhere like it and if asked to say what the book is like I would say it is the love child of Lanny by Max Porter and Under Milk Wood, with deeply pagan undercurrents.
The Wild Reading Group title I think may also prove to be a contender….
I love that the two overall winners in the Wainwright Prize were illustrated books. To see all the winners, and the shortlisted books go to their website. Images really widen accessibility to books and I am absolutely loving how I am being told stories by people of how their children are snaffling The Book of Birds and becoming absorbed in it. The Lost Words was a book that was marketed as a book for children, but found its readership in all ages and it looks as if The Book of Birds is also doing this.
I would love to hear if you have a favourite fiction book, either recent or from long ago that might be a book that could be included in a new category. And now I am wondering, was Overstory by Richard Powers on the Wainwright list ever?
I was thinking of Overstory as I read this. I am very surprised that fiction for adults is not normal for the Wainwright.
Well done to all of you and thank you for your work. I still hold the two days I spent in the depths of Exmoor very dear. It was a magical time and celebrated a wonder full book.
The Book of Birds and Wild Folk are bedtime reading for me.
Thank you.
I just wanted to say thank you for writing such a lovely inscription in The Book of Birds for me ( bought by my husband at Mannington.) I have long loved your words and paintings and this is something I will treasure.
Thank you Deborah