May 19, 2026 — SPCK Group’s The Lion Baby Bible by Antonia Woodward has been awarded Gold in the Religion category at the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Book Awards 2026.
The IBPA Book Awards (formerly the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards) are among the most highly regarded honours in US independent publishing. The awards are administered by the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) with help from over 170 book publishing professionals including librarians, bookstore owners, reviewers, designers, publicity managers, and editors. One Gold and two or three Silver awards are announced in each category, which — alongside Religion — include Biography & Autobiography, Disabled Communities, Business & Career, Black / African-American Communities, Self-Help, and more.
The IBPA Book Awards describes The Lion Baby Bible as:
“An ideal gift for newborns, christenings, and baptisms, this beautifully illustrated first Bible introduces 45 Old and New Testament stories. Simply retold with key truths about God’s love, it invites parents to share precious moments, explore faith, and delight in wonder-filled illustrations with their child.”
Antonia Woodward, author of The Lion Baby Bible says:
“It is a huge honour for my Lion Baby Bible to have received gold at the IBPA awards! Thank you to everyone at SPCK who nurtured and enabled this book into being. My greatest hope is that the words and pictures will plant deep seeds of faith in both children and their grown-ups, as they ponder on the beauty and truth of these timeless stories.”
Deborah Lock, Children’s Publishing Director at SPCK Group, says:
“We are thrilled that The Lion Baby Bible by Antonia Woodward has won Gold at the IBPA Book Awards 2026. This is a fantastic recognition of the exquisite detail, creativity, and beauty that Antonia has brought to the book through words and illustration, and the warmth and care with which she conveys God’s love to young readers. With Bible sales hitting their highest point in 2025 in the UK, we are passionate about ensuring that SPCK Group’s children’s imprints continue to publish bibles that truly resonate with children and their families around the world”.
Press contact: Emily Beater: ebeater@spck.org.uk
