21 November 2013

Recent book award news

GUARDIAN CHILDREN'S FICTION AWARD
This was won by Rebecca Stead for Liar & Spy.
The Guardian children's fiction prize is awarded annually to fiction written for children aged eight and above, and is the only children's fiction award selected by fellow writers. The winning author receives a cheque for £1,500. Last year the prize was opened up to writers outside the UK, and New York author Rebecca Stead is the first American writer to win the prize.
Previous winners of the prize include Mark Haddon for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Northern Lights by Philip Pullman, How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff, The Illustrated Mum by Jacqueline Wilson and The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce.

ELEANOR FARJEON AWARD
David Almond, writer of Skellig and My Name is Mina and other children’s books, has won the Eleanor Farjeon award for "outstanding contribution to the world of children's books".
The prize, now in its 47th year, is voted for by members of the Children's Book Circle, an informal association of children's book professionals including editors, writers and booksellers. The award is named in memory of Eleanor Farjeon, best known for writing the hymn ‘Morning Has Broken’, and the author of children's books
The Eleanor Farjeon award recognises an outstanding contribution to children's literature and can be awrded to an individual or organisation. Previous winners include the children's book illustrator Quentin Blake and Malorie Blackman, author of the Noughts & Crosses trilogy, who is the current Children's Laureate.


RED HOUSE CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD
The children of the Federation of Children’s Book Groups have been busy reading all year and now their favourites have been selected as the shortlist for the 2014 Red House Children’s Book Award.
The shortlisted books are in three categories:

Books for Older Readers
• Killing Rachel – Anne Cassidy
• The 5th Wave – Rick Yancey
• W.A.R.P.: The Reluctant Assassin – Eoin Colfer

Books for Younger Readers
• The Land of Neverbelieve – Norman Messenger
• Atticus Claw Breaks The Law – Jennifer Gray
• Claude In The Country – Alex T Smith

Books for Younger Children
• Superworm – Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
• Walter and The No Need To Worry Suit – Rachel Bright
• How To Hide A Lion – Helen Stephens
• Hippospotamus – Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross

There is a dedicated website www.redhousechildrensbookaward.co.uk where any child can vote there for their favourite book until January 18 2014.

ROALD DAHL FUNNY PRIZE

The Roald Dahl Funny Prize, which was launched in 2008 aims to promote laughter and humour as a feel-good factor when reading, to draw attention to funny books as readable and enjoyable books and to reward authors and illustrators who write and illustrate books using humour.
The Prize has two categories:
* The funniest book for children aged six and under
* The funniest book for children aged seven to fourteen
The winner of each category will receive £2,500, which will be presented at an awards ceremony in December. Over 200 children, selected from schools around the UK, will help judge the award. Their votes will be combined with those of the judging panel to find the two winning books for 2013.

The shortlist
The funniest book for children aged seven to fourteen:
* The Grunts All at Sea by Philip Ardagh and Axel Scheffler
* My Parents are Out of Control by Pete Johnson
* Pants are Everything by Mark Lowery
* Geek Girl by Holly Smale
* Fish-Head Steve by Jamie Smart
* I Am Still Not a Loser by Jim Smith

The funniest book for children aged six and under:
* Weasels by Elys Dolan
* Spaghetti with the Yeti by Charlotte and Adam Guillain and Lee Wildish
* Troll Swap by Leigh Hodgkinson
* Monkey Nut by Simon Rickerty
Do Not Enter the Monster Zoo! By Amy Sparkes and Sara Ogilvie
* Noisy Bottoms by Sam Taplin and Mark Chambers