British Book Awards: 2020 shortlists

The eight shortlists for the 2020 Nibbies have been revealed.


The annual Nibbies showcase the best of the British book industry.

The shortlist for Fiction Book of the Year

  • The Testaments by Margaret Atwood 
  • The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman
  • The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
  • Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo
  • Lies, Lies, Lies by Adele Parks
  • Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris 

The shortlist for Debut Book of the Year

  • The Binding by Bridget Collins
  • Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
  • The Familiars by Stacey Halls
  • Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
  • Leonard & Hungry Paul by Ronan Hession
  • The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins 

Non-fiction: Narrative Book of the Year

  • Lady in Waiting by Anne Glenconner
  • Me by Elton John
  • Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas by Adam Kay
  • Invisible Women by Caroline Criado PerezThree Women by Lisa Taddeo
  • The Body by Bill Bryson

Other shortlists include Audiobook Book of the Year; Children’s Fiction Book of the Year; Non-fiction: Lifestyle Book of the Year; Children’s Illustrated & Non-fiction Book of the Year. 

Full shortlists are published on The Bookseller. The awards are due to be announced in June 2020.