We’re thrilled to finally share a secret we’ve been keeping . . . Squish! has been longlisted for the BookTrust Storytime Prize 2027!
Introducing the longlisted title: Squish!
Published in March 2026, Squish! tells the story of Little Cub building a club tent and inviting all his friends to join him inside for biscuits. One by one, his friends arrive, but with each arrival, there is less and less room. Finally, Mouse wants to come in, but there’s no space! Luckily, Little Cub knows just what to do.
Written by Tim Bugbird, illustrated by Ian Worrall-Dutton, and conceived and designed by Gabrielle Mercer, the Little Cub series explores the ups and downs of toddler life.
“The story is simple and written to be read together, but there’s lots going on – numbers, sizes, creativity, teamwork, problem solving, play, and friendship – so hopefully Squish! will offer opportunities to have fun with words and numbers, begin conversations, and maybe encourage a bit of tent building!”
With kindness, friendship, and teamwork at its core, it was Ian’s hope that the Little Cub series “would allow children to imagine a happy, make-believe world beyond the confines of their immediate reality.” as early picture books for 18 months and up and intended by Tim to “bridge the gap between board and picture books,” the Little Cub series provides heartwarming, funny stories, perfect for engaging a younger audience and fostering a love of story time.
What does the BookTrust do?
BookTrust is the UK’s largest reading charity for children. Each year, they support the reading journeys of millions of children, providing access to books for families from low-income households and vulnerable backgrounds. Reading can be transformative to many young children, and books should be accessible to all as they provide a range of immediate and lifelong benefits, feeding children’s curiosity and imagination.
“Reading is such an important part of a child’s development and so crucial to a good education. Hopefully, the Little Cub books might feature in more libraries – as children learn to enjoy reading.”
“The Little Cub Series can help instil empathy, kindness, and understanding in our young readers, in what is quickly becoming a very complex and sometimes tricky world for them to navigate!”
At Make Believe Ideas, inspiring a lifelong love of reading is at the heart of everything we do. Our passion for bringing stories to life, sparking young imaginations, and making reading an exciting adventure for every child is built into each one of our books. Our sensory-rich titles are designed to be engaging, durable, and developmentally enriching, essential for nurturing young minds and fostering child development through play. We’re delighted to be recognised for this by being longlisted for the BookTrust Storytime Prize.
What is the BookTrust Storytime Prize?
Launched in 2019, the BookTrust Storytime Prize seeks to find the best book to share with children aged 0–5 years. Since 2021, it’s been a part of their Storytime programme, which is “designed to support libraries to inspire families with children [of those ages] to share stories together and make visiting their local library part of everyday life.”
Find out what this nomination means to the author, illustrator, and senior design stylist here:
“Throughout my career, I’ve been passionate about making books accessible to everyone. I feel very aligned with the values of BookTrust, so it really is an honour to be nominated for this prize.”
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be nominated for the BookTrust Storytime Prize 2027. It means so much to me as an illustrator of children’s books to see my artwork, together with the wonderful story, be recognised in this way. Knowing that this book has resonated with others is both humbling and rewarding, and I’m very grateful for the support and direction that made this possible.”
“It’s such a compliment! And I really think this is such a sweet, endearing book – that I would love to see as many children enjoy it as possible. It is great to be nominated – and I hope it means that more people get to enjoy this lovely storybook.”
The importance of libraries
Libraries are integral to ensuring everyone has access to a variety of books, allowing children and adults to step into the world of reading and take advantage of the benefits it brings. BookTrust supports “1.4 million children and families each year” by offering families a “fun, free, and easy way to entertain under 5s at local libraries”.
Here at Make Believe Ideas, libraries mean a lot to us and have had a lasting impact on the author and illustrator of Squish! When Tim Bugbird was younger, he “loved going to the library on a Saturday to pick three books (today you can take out FIFTEEN!) and [he’s] always joined libraries wherever [he’s] lived. [For Tim, they] offer a vital access point to books for everyone, fuelling ideas and imaginations,” acting as an initial gateway to reading and providing a haven for many.
As Ian wonderfully put it:
“Like Little Cub’s tent, libraries offer a place of belonging, and there’s always ‘room for one more’!”
