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We're very pleased to be announcing the longlist for the Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition! Our team of experienced readers read every single submission – and there were lots! – and along with Barry Cunningham and the Chicken House team have drawn up a longlist of the twenty very best submissions. So, here they are! 

ANYONE BUT ME by Laura Ings Self

ASTERIX CLEMENTINE by Janine Barnett-Phillips

THE FIREFLY CAGE by Nicki Thornton

FROSTSLIVER by Jamie Smith

GERSEMI'S OATH by Moz Walls

GIRL FROZEN by Louise Roberts

THE INVENTION OF COLOUR by Jo Wyton

KISS OF THE TSUNAMI by Rachel Rivers Porter

LILY WICKED by Lindsay McKrell

MILO AND OPERATION STEPDAD by Tracy Darnton

OLIVE IN THE HEIGHTS by Isabelle Sudron

PARADISE ROCKS by Heather Elliott

PROJECT CAT'S AWAY by Julie Mee

SHOWSTOPPER by Hayley Barker

THE SKY THIEF by Stuart Lee

STICKY BEAKS by Ellie Lock

A STRANGE KIND OF DREAMING by Rachel Wolfreys

THE WICKED CHRISTIE SISTERS by Shana Moore

WHEN IT RAINED IN 2025 by Roopal Kewalya

WHITE NIGHT by Eden Endfield

Congratulations to all our longlistees, and thank you to all the wonderful writers who entered this year's competition. We received our most entries to date, and the standard was incredibly high!

We'll be announcing our shortlist soon – keep an eye on Twitter for more info. Click here to find out more about last year's winner, The Secret Cooking Club by Laurel Remington!