Women's Prize for Non-Fiction facts for kids

The Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction is a special award for books written by women that are based on facts, not made-up stories. It's like a sister prize to the Women's Prize for Fiction, which celebrates novels by women. This prize was first announced in February 2023. The first winner was chosen in 2024 for books published in 2023. The main prize is £30,000, which was funded for three years by the Charlotte Aitken Trust. The winner also receives a special statuette called the Charlotte. In June 2023, it was announced that the family tree company Findmypast would be the first sponsor of the prize.

Kate Mosse, who helped launch the prize, explained its purpose. She said it's "not about taking the spotlight away from the brilliant male writers." Instead, it's about "adding the women in" and celebrating their important non-fiction work.

What is the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction?

The Women's Prize for Non-Fiction celebrates amazing factual books written by women. It aims to highlight and reward excellent non-fiction writing. This prize helps bring more attention to the diverse stories and ideas that women share through their books.

Who Can Enter the Prize?

Any woman who writes in English can enter the prize. It doesn't matter what country she lives in, her age, or what her book is about. The books must be published in the United Kingdom. They need to be published between April 1st of the year the prize asks for entries and March 31st of the next year, when the winner is announced. The prize encourages books from all kinds of factual categories. These are often called 'trade non-fiction' books, meaning they are for general readers. The judges look for books that are excellent, original, and easy to understand.

Who Are the Judges?

Each year, a group of experts chooses the winning book. These judges are often writers, historians, journalists, or people involved in important causes. They read many books to find the best ones.

The 2024 Judges

The judges for the 2024 prize were:

• Historian Suzannah Lipscomb (who led the group)
• Fair fashion campaigner Venetia La Manna
• Professor Nicola Rollock, an academic, author, and consultant
• Biographer and journalist Anne Sebba
• Author Kamila Shamsie, who won the Women's Prize for Fiction in 2018

The 2025 Judges

The judges for the 2025 prize were:

• Journalist, author, and broadcaster Kavita Puri (who led the group)
• Writer and broadcaster Leah Broad
• Novelist and critic Elizabeth Buchan
• Writer and environmental academic Dr Elizabeth-Jane Burnett
• Author of the newsletter The Hyphen, Emma Gannon

Past Winners and Shortlisted Books

Each year, the prize announces a "longlist" of about 16 books. This is a longer list of books that the judges think are really good. Then, they narrow it down to a "shortlist" of usually six books. Finally, they pick one winner from the shortlist.

The 2024 Prize

The first longlist for the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction had 16 titles. It was announced on February 15, 2024. The Guardian newspaper noted that these books covered many topics. These included capitalism, artificial intelligence, Renaissance history, and motherhood. The shortlist was announced on March 27, 2024. The very first winner was announced on June 13, 2024.

The 2025 Prize

The 2025 longlist also had 16 titles and was announced in February 2025. The prize organizers said that readers would find many interesting books. These included important reports on current issues and new looks at history. There were also biographies that corrected old myths. Some books were memoirs about finding one's own path. Others were personal stories that showed the lives of everyday people. There were also books about real-life criminal cases, both famous and forgotten. A few books mixed different subjects into one exciting story.