Excelsior Award Blue 2025
2025 Shortlist
The books on the Excelsior Award Blue shortlst have been designated as suitable for children aged 11+ (or Key Stage 3 in schools)
Click on the book's title for extra information
Billy Batson has the powers of the gods, but Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury never gave the Wizard Shazam their permission! Now the disgruntled gods engage in a six-way fight to turn the World’s Mightiest Mortal into the World’s Mightiest Puppet! As the gods’ meddling threatens the entire world, an unlikely team of heroes rises up to save the Captain from… himself! It’s a wild ride that includes dinosaurs from outer space, the Clubhouse of Eternity, talking tigers, and more, including the answer to one of comics’ biggest mysteries: why is he called “Captain” anyway?
Details
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Dan Mora
Published by DC Comics
ISBN-13: 978-1779525116
Before The Stand and The Hunger Games, before Battle Royale and Yellowjackets, there was Lord of the Flies.
A plane crashes on a desert island. The only survivors, a group of schoolboys. By day, they explore the dazzling beaches. By night, they are haunted by nightmares of a primitive beast and of what they've lost.
'There aren't any grown-ups anywhere.'
Details
Writer: William Golding
Artist: Aimee De Jongh
Published by Faber & Faber
ISBN-13: 978-0571374250
The multiversal web-slinger returns! It's time to face the music when The Mary Janes head off on a four-city tour as the opening act to one of Earth-65's biggest rock stars! Gwen has promised the band that this big break will be all about the music. No web-slinging, just drums. But when a mysterious assassin targets the headliner, Gwen begins to wonder how she got this gig in the first place. And as the tour continues, she'll share the stage with stunning new versions of some of your favourite characters - pulling double duty as drummer and secret bodyguard for Dazzler!
Details
Writer: Melissa Flores
Artist: Enid Balam
Published by Marvel Comics
ISBN-13: 978-1302956554
Famous investigator Harry Dickson is just back in London after some well-deserved holidays, and already Scotland Yard are seeking his help again, for there are very strange events afoot. A famous heiress and writer, Delphina Cruikshank, has vanished from a locked house. The corpse of an executed murderer has disappeared… while the doctor who was autopsying him was murdered. And Mysterion, Miss Cruikshank’s new character, may not be entirely fictional!
Details
Writer: Jean Ray, Luana Vergari and Doug Headline
Artist: Onofrio Catacchio
Published by Cinebook
ISBN-13: 978-1800441279
The Emerald Archer is lost, and Oliver Queen’s whole family joins in on the search-and-rescue mission! Arsenal and Black Canary journey into the bowels of Belle Reve Prison and discover dangerous forces are determined to keep them apart at any cost. While the hunt is on, Oliver desperately tries to find his way back and is joined by some very unexpected old friends.
Details
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Sean Izaakse
Published by DC Comics
ISBN-13: 978-1779524744