Women's Prize for Non-Fiction facts for kids

The Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction is a special award given to women who write amazing non-fiction books. Non-fiction books tell true stories and share real facts about the world. This award is a "sister prize" to the famous Women's Prize for Fiction, which is for made-up stories.

The prize was first announced in February 2023. The first winner was chosen in 2024 for a book published in 2023. The winner receives £30,000 and a special statuette called "the Charlotte." The money for the prize is provided for three years by a group called the Charlotte Aitken Trust. The first company to sponsor the award was Findmypast, a family tree company.

Kate Mosse, one of the founders, explained that the prize isn't about ignoring great male writers. Instead, she said, "it's about adding the women in" and making sure their work is celebrated too.

How the Prize Works

Who Can Enter the Contest?

To be considered for the prize, authors and their books must meet certain rules:

• The author must be a woman who writes in English. Her age, where she lives, or her nationality doesn't matter.
• The book must be published in the United Kingdom during a specific time frame (usually between April of one year and March of the next).
• The book should be a type of non-fiction that tells a story and is written for everyone to enjoy, not just experts.

The judges look for books that show excellence, originality, and are easy for people to read and understand.

Who Picks the Winner?

A new group of expert judges is chosen each year to read the books and decide on a winner.

2024 Judges

The judges for the first-ever prize in 2024 were:

• Suzannah Lipscomb (Chair): A historian.
• Venetia La Manna: A campaigner for fair fashion.
• Professor Nicola Rollock: An academic and author.
• Anne Sebba: A biographer and journalist.
• Kamila Shamsie: An author who won the Women's Prize for Fiction in 2018.

2025 Judges

The judges for the 2025 prize are:

• Kavita Puri (Chair): A journalist and author.
• Leah Broad: A writer and broadcaster.
• Elizabeth Buchan: A novelist and critic.
• Dr Elizabeth-Jane Burnett: A writer and environmental expert.
• Emma Gannon: An author.

Prize Finalists and Winners

Each year, the judges first create a "longlist" of 16 books. From that list, they choose a smaller "shortlist" of finalists. Finally, they announce the one winner.

The first longlist in 2024 included books on many different topics, such as money, computers, history, and being a mother.