ACHUKA is sent details of so many regional awards it's hard to keep up.
We try and report as many was we can.
I recommend this award's website. It's very good indeed. Created by the same designers behind the Doncaster Book Award site.
Awards: July 2008 Archives
Before I Die by Jenny Downham, edited by David Fickling and published by David Fickling Books, has won the Branford Boase Award, awarded for an outstanding debut novel for children.
For David Fickling, it is two winners in a row, with A Swift Pure Cry by Siobhan Dowd having taken the prize last year.
Finding Violet Park by Jenny Valentine, edited by Stella Paskins at Harper Collins, was Highly Commended.
Philip Pullman presented Jenny Downham with her award (a cheque for £1000 and a hand crafted silver-inlaid box) at the ceremony, hosted by Walker Books.
Philip Pullman observed of the winner: "Before I Die is a truly remarkable book, and one that shows that as well as being able to pick authors of startling and undeniable talent, David Fickling has lost none of the enormous tact and skill that makes him such a fine editor. I very much look forward to seeing what Jenny Downham goes on to write next - as well, of course, as seeing what David Fickling discovers!"
David Fickling's response was, "Winning The Branford Boase once was a great honour. Winning it twice in a row, this time with Jenny, has left me nearly speechless. I love this award because it recognises the finest of our new writers for young children and in my view is chosen by people I deeply respect according to criteria which my own publishing heart responds to (if publishers can be said to have a heart!)."
Other books on the shortlist were:
Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke, edited by Averil Whitehouse and published by Walker
Nathan Fox by L Brittney, edited by Rachel Denwood and published by Macmillan
Waves by Sharon Dogar, edited by Barry Cunningham and published by Chicken House
Door of No Return by Sarah Mussi, edited by Beverly Birch and published by Hodder
Highland Children's Book Awards 2008
voted by young readers in the Highlands
Back Row Left to Right: Lynsey Stein Organiser, Stephanie Hoyle
Principal Schools Librarian, Heather Dyer (The Boy in the Biscuit Tin),
James Jauncey (The Witness), Tanya Landman (Apache) and Tony Bradman
(Tom's Dragon Trouble)
Front Row Left to Right: Jackie Morris (The Snow Leopard and winner of the Picture Book Category) and Pauline Francis (The
Raven Queen and winner of the 12+ category).
The winner of the top prize for the Picture Book category was Jackie Morris with The Snow Leopard.
Winner of the 8+ category was Chris Riddel with Ottoline and the Yellow Cat
The 12+ award went to Pauline Francis with Raven Queen
The Book Awards are organised by The Highland Council's Library Service with sponsorship from wind farm operators Falck Renewables and ANTA Pottery.
As well as a number of the short listed authors, attending the event were 142 pupils from 45 primary and secondary schools across the Highlands that had taken part.
Books on the 2008 short list were:
12+ category:
• The Witness by James Jauncey
• Apache by Tanya Landman
• Raven Queen by Pauline Francis
• Crusade by Elizabeth Laird
• Berserk by Ally Kennen
8+ category:
• Tom's Dragon Trouble by Tony Bradman
• Boy in the Biscuit Tin by Heather Dyer
• Ottoline and the Yellow Cat by Chris Riddell
• Born To Run by Michael Morpurgo
• The Kick Off by Dan Freedman
Picture Book category:
• Wendel's Workshop by Chris Riddell
• The Snow Leopard by Jackie Morris
• The Railway Children by Alan Marks
• A Dog Called Rod by Tim Hopgood
• A Present for Freddie Small by Nick Butterworth & Michael Evans
The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education has announced the winner of the CLPE Poetry Award for 2008...
Jackie Kay: Red, Cherry Red, illustrated by Rob Ryan,
Bloomsbury £6.99 9780747589792
The presentation was made at the South Bank Centre earlier today by Ian McMillan.
Jackie Kay was interviewed afterwards by Michael Rosen, the Children's Laureate.
The CLPE Poetry Award honours excellence in poetry written for children. It is presented annually for a book of poetry published in the proceeding year. Previous winners include Roger McGough, John Agard and Grace Nichols.
The judges of the award this year were Ian McMillan, Fiona Waters and last year's winner Julie Johnstone, chaired by Margaret Meek Spencer.
