Leicester-based children's publisher Sweet Cherry victorious in 2021 Small Press of the Year Award

Leicester children’s publisher Sweet Cherry have been announced as winner of the third annual Small Press of the Year Award during the 2021 British Book Awards digital ceremony, broadcast tonight. The award is sponsored by CPI Books.

Previously announced in March as regional winners for the Midlands, Sweet Cherry were awarded the overall prize in acknowledgment of its year of record sales as well as for its

commitment to children’s reading through its blend of education and entertainment. Sales for the press topped £1m for the first time, due in part to the appeal of its books to home-learning children and parents. Exports more than doubled as it pushed into new territories, and its brand licensing programme gathered pace. A range of standout books included children’s TV brands such as NumberBlocks and AlphaBlocks, a new fiction series from Angie Lake, and easy- to-read versions of Sherlock Holmes stories that have been very popular in Asia.

Judges for this year’s award commended Sweet Cherry for their entrepreneurial focus but also for their diversity in both output and staffing, with more than half of its management from minority ethnic backgrounds. In a region with some of Britain’s lowest literacy rates, Small Cherry were recognised as having worked hard to increase equal access to books and raise the confidence of young readers.

Philip Jones, chair of the judges and editor of The Bookseller, said: “In a tough year for Small Presses, Sweet Cherry stood tall growing its business internationally and at home, and making a difference within its community. What most impressed about Sweet Cherry was that it had

everything in place before the pandemic to thrive, and was able to continue with its growth strategy despite the lockdowns. It ’s a hardy business, doing its business within its niche and beyond. Our congratulations to Sweet Cherry and its counterparts on the shortlist this year.”

Cecilia Bennett, Managing Editor of Sweet Cherry said: “It ’s amazing to win this category. We’ve been nominated before, and I think we’ve been aware of how many other small presses there are doing amazing things. It comes at a nice moment for us, as we are just coming up to 10 years of Sweet Cherry, and this is something that could not have happened without the support of every single one of my colleagues. Everyone has come together to make this happen, and we’re all really happy.”

In winning the 2021 Small Press of the Year, Sweet Cherry triumphed within the highly impressive 9 regional and country winners who were announced in March. Among these were And Other Stories (North of England winners), Charco Press (Scotland), Merrion Press (Ireland), Little Toller Books (South West), September Publishing (South East / East), Boldwood Books (London), Magic Cat Publishing (London) and Firefly Press (Wales). These winners were drawn from regional & country shortlists comprising of 44 of very best small presses across the UK & the island of Ireland, which were announced in February.

Among the regional & country winners, London-based Magic Cat Publishing were highly commended. Founded by former Templar and Quarto duo Rachel Williams and Jenny Broom, the list made a splash in the children’s market with ideas-led publishing, beautiful production and a keen eye for licensing. “It ’s hit the ground running… Magic Cat is going to be a very big deal in children’s books,” said the judges.

Produced by the UK’s book industry magazine The Bookseller, the Nibbies are the definitive celebration of the country’s leading creative industry. Showcasing the enormous range and depth of modern publishing, they bring together the consumer-facing Books of the Year awards and trade accolades that honour the outstanding successes of publishers and retailers.

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