All-Ukrainian Children's Literature Award “Humane Book”

In 2025, The Humane Book Award was presented to three titles:

⭐️ “Snow Ice Cream”. Author by Kateryna Lazirko, illustrated by Iryna Potapenko. Publisher: Chas Maistriv Publishing House.
⭐️ “A Lion Doesn’t Smile in the Circus”. Author by Hanna Bulhakova, illustrated by Karina Shuba. Publisher: Ranok Publishing House
⭐️ “My Bullfinch Friend”. Author by Nadiika Herbish, illustrated by Anna Surhan
Publisher: The Old Lion Publishing House.

A special posthumous award from the UAnimals team in 2025 was given to “Daddy’s Book” by Volodymyr Vakulenko, illustrated by Natalka Haida, published by The Old Lion Publishing House.
This is a collection of children’s poems — bright, at times humorous, and filled with love for children. Through this award, we honored the memory of the writer who was abducted and killed by russian occupiers in the Kharkiv region, as well as the strength of his texts, which continue to live on and support children even after the author’s death.

A defining feature of the 2025 award was the composition of the jury. For the first time since The Humane Book Award was established, the evaluation involved not only professionals but also their families.The jury included:
• Natalia Zhizhchenko — cultural figure, researcher of Ukrainian culture, and frontwoman of the band ONUKA; Yevhen Filatov — sound producer, composer, and leader of the band The Maneken; their children: daughter Lina and son Oleksandr.
• Yuliia Slyvka — publisher, PhD philologist, blogger, and representative of an active parenting community; her husband Ihor and daughters Darusia and Lidusia.
• Svitlana Roiz — child and family psychologist and expert in child development; Anatolii Roiz — veteran; their daughter Daria.
• Artur Proidakov — Executive Director of the MriiDi Educational Foundation, Ukrainian language and literature teacher, author of the book “Who Does It Like This?! How to Teach a Child to Learn”, and one of the Top 10 teachers according to the Global Teacher Prize 2023; Maryna Selezinka — speech and language therapist; their son Marko.
• Tetiana Stus — writer and founder of BaraBooka, a project supporting children’s reading and Ukrainian children’s literature; her daughter Daryna and granddaughter Uliana.
• Rostyslav Petrushko — book blogger and creator of the YouTube channel “Literary Country”; Olesia Kyryliuk — Rostyslav’s mother, a software developer; Vladyslav — Rostyslav’s brother.
• Hrasia Oliiko — illustrator and children’s author, winner of the BBC Children’s Book of the Year Award 2024 and The Humane Book Award in 2023 and 2024; her daughter Nina.
• Sashko Todorchuk — founder of UAnimals and a member of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; Marichka Todorchuk — founder and head of the Dobrodii Club and civic activist; their daughters Solomiia and Polina.

In total, 338 books were nominated for The Humane Book Award in 2025.

In 2024, three publications received the “Humane Book” award:

⭐️ “The Fly and Naida.” Author and Illustrator — Valentina Duvan. Published by “Kalamar”.
⭐️ “The Angel's Christmas Hat.” Author and Illustrator — Hrasya Oliyko. Published by “Staryi Lev”.
⭐️ “The Magical Dragons of Gozo Island.” Author — Inna Danylyuk. Illustrator — Anna Vilchynska. Published by “Chorni Vovtsi”.

The book “Kids: Unbreakable Stories”, written by Olena Skulovatova and illustrated by Katrin Muscat, received a special award from the UAnimals team. Published by “Shkola (Kharkiv)”.

The 2024 jury included: book blogger Tetiana Honchenko, founder of the bookstore “Sens” Oleksii Erinchak, lawyer and public figure Inna Miroshnychenko, editor-in-chief of UAnimals media and children's literature researcher Kateryna Nikishova, Ukrainian language and literature teacher and one of the 10 best teachers according to the Global Teacher Prize 2023 Artur Proydakov, publisher and PhD philologist Yulia Slyvka, child and family psychologist Svitlana Roiz, TV presenter and entrepreneur Valentina Khamayko.

In 2023, three publications received the “Humane Book” award:

⭐️ “A Dress for Marusia”. Author and illustrated by Hrasia Oliiko. Published by “A-BA-BA-HA-LA-MA-HA”.
⭐️ “Mission ‘Rescue’: Dolphins”. Author by Yevheniia Zavalii. Illustrated by Mariia Shevchenko. Published by “Staryi Lev”.
⭐️ “Yarchyk and 9 Dogs”. Author by Anastasiia Melnychenko. Illustrated by Sofiia Tomilenko. Publisher by “Yakaboo”.

The 2023 jury included: psychologist Svitlana Roiz; philologist Olesia Naumovska; publisher Yuliia Slyvka; blogger Ihor Koval; young performer of the song “Chervona Kalyna” Leo Busha; and Liuda Smoliar, Head of Communications at UAnimals.
In total, over 90 books were nominated for the award in 2023.