This evening, at an event held at Camley Street Natural Park, an urban nature reserve in the heart of London, the winners of the 2024 Wainwright Prize have been announced. The event was also livestreamed by The Wildlife Trusts. 

The Wainwright Prize celebrates conservation and nature writing, showcasing books that inspire readers to respect the environment and embrace nature and the outdoors. Founded by the Alfred Wainwright Estate and Frances Lincoln, publishers of the Wainwright Guides, the £7,500 prize fund will be shared between the winners of the three different categories: Nature Writing, Writing on Conservation and Children's Writing on Nature and Conservation.

While covering this year's shortlist we saw that women writers, debut authors and personal narratives dominated the books that are the focus of this year's awards. As the 2024 winners are announced we see that empowering and hopeful storytelling has been used to celebrate humanity's vital connection with nature. 

And the winners of the 2024 Wainwright Prize are...

The 2024 Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing Winner

Late Light: The Secret Wonders of a Disappearing World by Michael Malay 

Late Light melds natural history with memoir as Malay shares his journey as an Indonesian Australian to make a new home for himself in England. This book was praised by the judges for handling eco anxiety without creating terror and for being 'accessible' and 'inspirational for everybody'.

The Chair of Judges for the Nature writing category this year is Dr Khalil Thirlaway, a Biologist and Presenter and Natural History Museum Podcaster. Commenting on the winner, he said: 

"Late Light brings the reader along with Michael Malay on a very human journey of discovery, connection and realisation. Michael portrays his evolving emotional and intellectual relationships with people, place and nature in a way that’s very easy to get on board with, while still having moments of beautiful prose that uplift the reading experience. Accompanying the author through the book, the reader will go on their own journey in relation to the experiences, themes and issues raised as things progress to an empowering call for positive change."

Highly Commended:

Dispersals: On Plants, Borders and Belonging by Jessica J. Lee 

The 2024 Wainwright Prize for Writing on Conservation Winner

Blue Machine: How the Ocean Shapes Our World by Helen Czerski 

Physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski claims this year's Wainwright Prize for Writing on Conservation. Offering a spellbinding exploration of the ocean in way that draws on Czerski's years of experience in marine science and blending marine biology, history and climate change concerns. 

Our Editorial Expert Liz Robinson read Blue Machine when it was released, awarding it Star Book status and describing it as, "An absolutely beautiful book, exquisitely written and opening up a whole new world of information about our oceans." 

Founder of Climate in Colour, Jocelyn Longdon is this year's Chair of Judges for the Writing in Conservation category and said of the winner:

"In Blue Machine, we are immersed into the world of the ocean with spectacular detail, from the minuscule to the macroscopic, guided through the ocean's anatomy and introduced to the people who live in intimate relationships with it. It is overwhelming and astounding how little we know about our oceans despite the immense role they play in sustaining life on this planet. With ocean temperatures reaching 400-year highs, and mounting threats from deep-sea mining operations across the globe, understanding and taking action to protect ocean ecosystems has never been more urgent. Through compelling narratives, inspiring stories and in-depth research Helen Czerski transforms our view of the Blue Machine.”

Highly Commended:

Groundbreakers: The Return of Britain’s Wild Boar by Chantal Lyons  

The 2024 Wainwright Prize for Children’s Writing on Nature and Conservation Winner

Foxlight by Katya Balen

Katya Balen wins the Children's Writing on Nature and Conservation Prize for Foxlight. A heart-warming story of sisterhood, found family and accepting love in the most unusual and unknown places. Judges described it as 'compelling' and 'exceptional' storytelling that celebrates the exploration of nature as twins venture into ferocious wildlands to try to find their mother. Balen was shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize in 2022, when her book October, October received the highly commended accolade. 

Our LoveReading4Kids Editorial Expert Julia Eccleshare M.B.E described Foxlight as a "dramatic and mesmerising adventure story [that] deftly tells of longing, hope, loving and loss as two sisters search for the story of their identity."

Roisin Taylor, Co-Director at UK Youth for Nature was the Chair of Judges for the Children's Writing on Nature and Conservation category and said:

“Foxlight stood out for all of the judges for its rich warmth of storytelling, demonstrating the need for adventure and interaction with nature at its messiest to ensure a life connected to it. It’s a book that dances from the start; sharing a tale of sisterhood in the unruly natural world, and the depths we go to find connection. Young people need connection to nature now more than ever, and Katya Balen artfully shows us how simple that can be - through adventure, joy and discovery.”

Highly Commended:

Global: A Graphic Novel Adventure About Hope in the Face of Climate Change by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, Illustrated by Giovanni Rigano 

Global is the very first graphic novel to be shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize.

Director of the Wainwright Prize, Alastair Giles said: "A huge congratulations to all our longlisted and shortlisted authors and illustrators, as well as our three deserving winners. It's wonderfully heart-warming to witness the emergence of a new generation of outstandingly talented writers, exposing the genre and its increasingly salient themes to ever larger and more diverse audiences. The Wainwright Prize feels ever more important as we confront the realities of a world in crisis, but as this year's winners prove, it's equally important to reflect on finding peace and connection with the natural world, and to inspire younger generations to become better environmental stewards than those before them."

To find out more about the Wainwright Prize head to wainwrightprize.com

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