ACHUKAblog
Mr Bunny’s Chocolate Factory by Elys Dolan
The Big, Fat, Totally Bonkers Diary of Pig by Emer Stamp
Tom Gates: Epic Adventure (Kind Of) by Liz Pichon
The 2018 Klaus Flugge Prize longlist in full:
Established in 2016, the Klaus Flugge Prize is awarded to the most promising and exciting newcomer to children’s book picture book illustration. It honours publisher Klaus Flugge, founder of publisher Andersen Press and a supremely influential figure in picture books.
For the second year running more than fifty books were submitted and twenty have made the longlist.
The judges for the 2019 prize are:
The panel will be chaired by Julia Eccleshare, director of the children’s programme of the Hay Festival.
The shortlist will be announced on 15 May 2019 by Anthony Browne at a special evening event at Foyles Charing Cross Road and the winner will be revealed on 11 September 2019.
The shortlists for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2019 (announced today) are as follows:
Illustrated Books:
Younger Fiction:
Older Fiction:
Congratulations to all involved with the shortlisted titles.
The winners will be announced at an evening reception at Waterstones Piccadilly (London), Europe’s largest bookshop, on Thursday 21st March, 2019. The winner of each category will receive £2000, with the overall winner receiving an extra £3000. In the event that the prize is awarded to a partnership, then the prize money will be split equally between the joint winners.
First awarded in 2005, the Prize has evolved into one of the most prestigious accolades for children’s books in the UK. Now in its fifteenth year and with its shortlists exploring some highly topical subjects, the Prize shows its enduring relevance as a formidable platform for emerging talent.
Last year’s winner, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, shot to the top of the bestseller charts after the announcement and saw an increase in sales of over 900% across the Waterstones estate.
Florentyna Martin, Waterstones Children’s Buyer says: “This year’s list showcases an exploration of wide topics including world-folklore, black history, mental health, refugees and the world around us, through dynamic forms of poetry, fables and sweeping fantasies. It is a truly enthralling time for children’s writing, and our booksellers have keenly chosen shortlists that they are inspired to share with readers and, in doing so, recognise the creators who will shape the future of children’s stories.”
James Daunt, Waterstones Managing Director says: “We are immensely proud of our Children’s Book Prize. It has chosen unfailingly wonderful books and in so doing propelled the careers of a succession of exceptional authors. Who knows how many might otherwise not have achieved such success? The Prize is the work of our booksellers and represents Waterstones at its very best.”
All the shortlisted titles will have “Shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2019” added to their listings entry over the next few days and we will be highlighting several of the titles during the six weeks leading up to the category and overall winners announcement on 21st March.
Previous Winners of the Prize are:
The longlist for the 2019 Branford Boase Award is announced today. This important award is celebrating its twentieth year. Set up in memory of author Henrietta Branford and her editor Wendy Boase, one of the founders of Walker Books, the Branford Boase Award is given annually to the author and editor of an outstanding debut novel for children and has highlighted many of the twenty-first century’s leading children’s authors at the start of their careers. Over its twenty year history winners and shortlisted authors have included Siobhan Dowd, Meg Rosoff, Mal Peet, Frank Cottrell Boyce and Patrick Ness as well as Frances Hardinge and Philip Reeve.
This year more than 40 books were submitted, twice as many as in its first year, and by two dozen different publishers; 20 have made it onto the longlist.
The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson, edited by Rebecca Hill and Becky Walker (Usborne)
Boy Underwater by Adam Baron, edited by Nick Lake and Sarah Hughes (HarperCollins)
The Train to Impossible Places by P.G. Bell, edited by Rebecca Hill and Becky Walker (Usborne)
Rosie Loves Jack by Mel Darbon, edited by Sarah Stewart (Usborne)
The Fandom by Anna Day, edited by Kesia Lupo (Chicken House)
Me Mam. Me Dad. Me by Malcolm Duffy, edited by Fiona Kennedy (Head of Zeus)
Twister by Juliette Forrest edited by Lauren Fortune (Scholastic)
Flight by Vanessa Harbour, edited by Janet Thomas (Firefly)
Brightstorm by Vashti Hardy, edited by Linas Alsenas (Scholastic)
The Goose Road by Rowena House, edited by Mara Bergman (Walker Books)
Pages & Co: Tilly and the Bookwanderers by Anna James, edited by Rachel Denwood and Sarah Hughes (HarperCollins)
The Mystery of the Colour Thief by Ewa Jozefkowicz, edited by Fiona Kennedy (Head of Zeus)
I Am Thunder by Muhammad Khan, edited by Lucy Pearse (Macmillan)
Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen, edited by Sarah Stewart (Usborne)
The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q Raúf, edited by Lena McCauley (Orion Children’s Books)
On a Scale of One to Ten by Ceylan Scott edited by Rachel Leyshon (Chicken House)
Outwalkers by Fiona Shaw, edited by Bella Pearson and Anthony Hinton (David Fickling Books)
Sunflowers in February by Phyllida Shrimpton, edited Emma Matthewson (Hot Key)
Run Riot by Nikesh Shukla, edited by Emma Goldhawk (Hodder Children’s Books)
The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle by Victoria Williamson, edited by Jennie Skinner and Sally Polson (Floris Books)
This year’s award judges are
As usual, the panel is chaired by Julia Eccleshare, children’s director of the Hay Festival
The Branford Boase Award is sponsored by Walker Books who have pledged new funding to ensure its future. Jane Winterbotham, publishing director said: “Walker Books is delighted to continue its support for the Branford Boase Award. We hugely value the contribution the award has made in encouraging and highlighting new writing talent, as well as in recognising the role played by the editor in supporting writers at the start of their career. The award is an inspiring memorial to the work of gifted novelist Henrietta Branford and Walker’s founding editor, Wendy Boase, in whose names the award was established 20 years ago.”
The shortlist for the Award will be announced on 1st May 2019. The winner will be announced on 3rd July at a ceremony in London.
Walker Books have published a new edition of Henrietta Branford’s multi-award-winning book Fire, Bed and Bone. The story of the Peasants’ Revolt seen through the eyes of an old hunting dog, it gives a long-ago past an immediacy and freshness as it tells of working people’s struggle for survival in the face of cruelty by landlords and the church. Branford’s last book, it won the Guardian prize, a Smarties Award and was highly commended for the Carnegie Medal.
Congratulations to the four authors shortlisted for the 2018 Costa Children’s Book Award:
David Almond – The Colour of the Sun
Candy Gourlay – Bone Talk
Matt Killen – Orphan Monster Spy
Hilary McKay – The Skylarks’ War
The nominations for the 2019 Carnegie and Greenaway Medals were revealed yesterday.
Alongside the lists, CILIP outlined an action plan aimed at ensuring a more diverse representation in the awards.
This will include
Expanding the judging panel makes very good sense. I’m not so sure about “enhanced diversity training” – it partly depends what will be involved and how this is delivered. The need for an ‘equality, diversity and inclusion advisory panel’ is tantamount to an admission on CILIP’s part that it has failed in the past to be sufficiently cognisant of such matters.
The Carnegie and Greenaway Medals are distinctive because they are judged and awarded by librarians.
The CILIP Carnegie Medal is awarded annually by CILIP for an outstanding book written in English for children and young people; and the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal is awarded for distinguished illustration. Adding a new prize voted for by children and young people seems to me entirely unnecessary when there are other awards that are decided upon in this way.
I do like the sound of and very much welcome the launch of a quarterly publication shining the light on the Top 10 New Voices. But is that to be 10 ‘new voices’ per quarterly issue? That would be 40 writers and illustrators having a spotlight put upon them each year. I wonder if there are that many ‘new’ voices being published each twelve months of sufficient distinction to warrant such attention.
This year, 254 books have been nominated for the 2019 Medals; 137 books are in the running for the CILIP Carnegie Medal and 117 for the Kate Greenaway Medal.
From the CILIP website:
What happens next?
Each nominated book is read by every member of the judging panel − 14 children’s and youth librarians representing all regions of CILIP’s Youth Libraries Group − who volunteer their time as judges.
From these nominations the judging panel will decide the long and shortlists and finally, the 2019 Medal winners, based on the official Medals criteria. The long and shortlists identify a range of outstanding books for children and young people, recognising excellent literature and illustration from new and established authors and illustrators.
The awards shadowing scheme engages thousands of children and young people in schools and libraries in the UK and overseas through reading groups that ‘shadow’ the judges as they read and engage with the shortlists. Shadowers critically and creatively explore the shortlisted books, through group participation and online engagement: posting reviews, blogs, artworks, videos, exploring human rights and participating in visual literacy based creative activities.
The winners’ ceremony in June will see one book from each shortlist awarded the first children’s choice prize, voted for and presented by shadowers, alongside the winners of the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals.
Emma Suffield, librarian at Saint Wilfrid’s C of E Academy (saintwilfrids.co.uk) Blackburn, has been awarded the honour of the School Librarian of the Year 2018.
This is one of the most significant awards of the children’s book calendar. The School Library Association – which is a body committed to supporting everyone involved with school libraries, promoting high quality reading and learning opportunities for all – created the School Librarian of the Year Award in 2004, at the suggestion of Aidan Chambers and in response to the need for recognition of the excellent work that is carried out in school libraries every day. Nominees do not need to be members of the SLA, and may be from any phase of education.
Lauren St. John, whose books include The White Giraffe (Orion) and Kat Wolfe Investigates (Macmillan – one of the award’s sponsors) made the presentation at a special ceremony at The Judge’s Court, above Browns in St Martins Lane, earlier today. Just beforehand, St. John had given a brief keynote talk, explaining how she had not had the luxury of a library while growing up in Africa, but had nevertheless devoured books whenever they were on offer, frequently reading the same book many times over. She read everything, from Westerns to Sherlock Holmes, and books that her parents had lying around. At boarding school she read books that were passed from girl to girl, mainly Mills & Boons.
She referred to some research she had read about the benefit of books on the growing mind, in which reading was described as “training in the art of being human”. She also spoke glowingly of an article in The New Yorker, “Growing Up In The Library” by Susan Orlean, who also has a whole book on the subject due out in the UK in January.
St John read directly from the New Yorker piece, in which Orlean remembers her childhood library visits:
Those trips were dreamy, frictionless interludes that promised I would leave richer than I arrived. It wasn’t like going to a store with my mom, which guaranteed a tug-of-war between what I desired and what she was willing to buy me; in the library, I could have anything I wanted. On the way home, I loved having the books stacked on my lap, pressing me under their solid, warm weight, their Mylar covers sticking to my thighs.
In the interval after the four separate video presentations, and before the final winner was announced, I spoke with the Honour Listed librarian from India, Dr Chhavi Jain. The video presentation made it clear that her role is very curricular linked, with an emphasis on information literacy skills, so I wanted to learn more about the reading for pleasure tastes of her students. Although the school is described as ‘International’ the student body is predominantly Indian and she told me that Indian children’s tastes in reading are very much like those of children in this country. They will frequently request new fiction titles and Dr Jain passes their requests to the school management who invariably provide the required funding.
The CBSE – Central Board of Secondary Education – in India apparently makes it mandatory that every school has a properly funded library and librarian. How shameful that the situation in the UK is currently so different. The Award information booklet gave a two page summary of each librarian’s situation. “One of the challenges that X faces at work is that there is no school budget allocation for library stock.” WHAT! One thing this particular primary librarian did have however was a vocal fanbase, including one boy who captured the hearts of the audience with his emphatic and dramatic endorsement of her qualities. She simply had to stay at the school for generations to come, he said, so that his ‘sister and my other descendants’ would benefit from her role.
The winning librarian’s official title is Learning Resources Centre Manager, but Emma Suffield is seen more as a member of the family by many of the 1400 students at Saint Wilfrid’s C of E Academy in a diverse area of Blackburn, thanks to her personalised, thoughtful and supportive approach to engaging all readers across the school – something that came across well in the school’s polished video presentation. Innovative, imaginative practice, frequently going the extra mile, has led to an impressive 450% increase in book borrowing rates since Emma became responsible for the library in 2014.
Lesley Martin, Chair of the SLA School Librarian of the Year Selection Committee, said: ‘‘It is exciting for the profession to have someone as forward thinking, creative, passionate and professional about school libraries and no doubt with a great career ahead of her. Emma makes a real difference in her school and her community and her contribution to the wider library profession is already making an impact.’’
Noting that the award is a unique and wonderful celebration of the work of school librarians, Alison Tarrant, Chief Executive of the School Library Association, said: “The School Librarian of the Year Award is a brilliant opportunity to showcase the impact that school libraries can make, not just on pupils, but on staff and school culture. Our Honour List this year were all strong contenders and demonstrate the nuance needed when talking about school libraries – no two are the same; they are all reflective of the school around them, and it’s aims and priorities. Last month the launch of the Great School Libraries campaign – a three year campaign spearheaded by SLA, CILIP SLG and CILIP. The campaign has three aims: to secure school library funding; to produce a national framework for school libraries and recognition of school libraries within the Ofsted framework. Our Honour List support this aim and prove that supported school libraries can make a difference.”
The three other school librarians on the Honour List are:
The 2018 National Book Awards Longlist: Young People’s Literature
Elizabeth Acevedo, “The Poet X”
HarperTeen / HarperCollins Publishers
M. T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin, “The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge”
Candlewick Press
Bryan Bliss, “We’ll Fly Away”
Greenwillow Books / HarperCollins Publishers
Leslie Connor, “The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle”
Katherine Tegen Books / HarperCollins Publishers
Christopher Paul Curtis, “The Journey of Little Charlie”
Scholastic Press / Scholastic, Inc.
Jarrett J. Krosoczka, “Hey, Kiddo”
Graphix / Scholastic, Inc.
Tahereh Mafi, “A Very Large Expanse of Sea”
HarperTeen / HarperCollins Publishers
Joy McCullough, “Blood Water Paint”
Dutton Children’s Books / Penguin Random House
Elizabeth Partridge, “Boots on the Ground: America’s War in Vietnam”
Viking Children’s Books / Penguin Random House
VIDEO FROM THE NEW YORKER
Lies and Truth in the Era of Trump
Vesper Stamper, “What the Night Sings”
Knopf Books for Young Readers / Penguin Random House
The judges for the category this year are
Robin Benway, whose book “Far From the Tree” won the 2017 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature
Lamar Giles, the author of “Fake ID” and a founding member of the nonprofit organization We Need Diverse Books
Grace Worcester Greene, who has spent her career working at libraries with and for young people
Valerie Koehler, the owner of the Blue Willow Bookshop, in west Houston
Mitali Perkins, the author of numerous books, most recently “You Bring the Distant Near.”
via The 2018 National Book Awards Longlist: Young People’s Literature | The New Yorker.
Kate Milner has won the 2018 Klaus Flugge Prize (for the most exciting and promising newcomer to children’s picture book illustration) with her book My Name is Not Refugee (Barrington Stoke).
Kate studied illustration at St Martin’s College and illustrated magazines on Commercial and Housing Law for a while but has since spent most of her working life as a librarian, developing a passion for children’s books in the process.
When cuts to the library service resulted in her losing her job, she applied to do an MA in children’s book illustration at Anglia Ruskin University and for her degree show created the story that was to become My Name is Not Refugee and with it won Student Illustrator of the Year in the V&A Illustration Awards.
Winning the Klaus Flugge Prize marks her out as an important and extremely talented illustrator with a very special gift for creating picture books.
Judge, Children’s Laureate Lauren Child says: “The questions My Name is Not Refugee asks us to consider help us to think ourselves into someone else’s shoes. And the illustrations do just what they should, allowing the reader time to contemplate the predicament of the storybook child, a chance to imagine and to empathize.”
The Klaus Flugge Prize was founded to honour publisher Klaus Flugge, a supremely influential figure in picture books. Flugge set up Andersen Press in 1976 and has discovered and nurtured many of today’s most distinguished illustrators including David McKee, Tony Ross, Satoshi Kitamura and Susan Varley.
Chair of the judges, Julia Eccleshare said: “The 2017 Klaus Flugge Prize was awarded to Francesca Sanna for her book The Journey, so for the second year running the prize has gone to a book which describes the refugee experience. Klaus Flugge has always championed picture books for children that challenge them to think about the world and how it works, from The Conquerors by David McKee to An Anty-War Story by Tony Ross, and it’s fitting that the prize in his name once again demonstrates that picture books can cover the most important and most topical subjects.”
Kate Milner said: “I felt absolutely amazed and delighted when I heard that I’d won. I was very, very pleased to be shortlisted but I explained to everyone at the time that there was absolutely no chance of me winning. I was quite clear about this. When I got the good news I was alone in the house apart from my son who was still asleep. I was beside myself with delight; he didn’t get to stay asleep long.
I have done all sorts of things in my working life. I have painted pub signs and made prints; been a teacher and a carer. I have always made images and thought up stories, but it was a job at the local library that changed everything for me: I fell in love with children’s books. Part of my job was to read to groups of pre-school children at Rhyme Time, which was an excellent way of discovering which books kept their attention, indeed which books kept my attention. I also helped with Chatterbooks and the Summer Reading Challenge, both of which involved talking to children about books. It was an education. We wondered why picture books contain lots of farm yard animals but no mobile phones, yet most children know all about mobile phones and have never met a lamb. We discussed whether Moody Margaret would beat My Naughty Little Sister in a fight, and we decided she definitely would. Despite my great age, I am, in many ways, about eight years old, and I still love to draw and make up stories. Becoming part of the world of children’s book feels like coming home.”
Victoria Semykina was awarded Highly Commended for her illustrations for The Real Boat (Templar). Lauren Child said: “Here is illustration that is not only exquisitely decorative but also uses the page to great effect. There are many original viewpoints, crops and changes of scale and these beautifully carry the reader across the storybook seas.”
Kate Milner received her award at a ceremony in London on Wednesday 12th September 2018 and was presented with a cheque for £5,000 by Lauren Child. We were very sorry not to be able to attend the event in person this year.
Alongside Lauren Child, the judges were Goldy Broad; Charlotte Colwill of Foyles bookshop; and 2017 Klaus Flugge Prize winner Francesca Sanna. Julia Eccleshare, director of the Children’s Programme at the Hay Festival, is Chair of the Judges.
The shortlist in full
The Night Box, Ashling Lindsay, written by Louise Greig (Egmont)
My Name is Not Refugee, Kate Milner (Barrington Stoke)
Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover, Markus Motum (Walker Studio)
The Real Boat, Victoria Semykina, written by Marina Aromshtam (Templar)
Big Box, Little Box, Edward Underwood, written by Caryl Hart (Bloomsbury)
LONGLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2019 UKLA BOOK AWARDS
The UKLA Selection Panel, chaired by outgoing Chair Lynda Graham, have whittled down the 372 publisher submissions to arrive at a set of longlists, which feature books in translation, poetry, verse novels and nonfiction. They were pleased to highlight exciting debut authors as well as established and familiar names in children’s literature. Of particular note is the success of small publishing houses like Sweet Apple Publishing, Laurence King, Pushkin Press, Barrington Stoke, Otter-Barry Books, Gecko Press and Tiny Owl. The new Chair of the awards Chris Lockwood says: “the quality of the record number of submissions this year was of a particularly high standard and the panel had no easy task, but we are confident that the teachers and schools involved in the judging will benefit enormously from the impact of these quality texts in their schools” All of the books exemplify the award criteria of writing which offers language rich in layered meanings, imaginative expression and exciting vocabulary. Where present, high quality illustration is also an important feature of the chosen texts.
Longlist 3-6
|
Title |
Author |
Illustrator |
Translator |
Imprint |
|
|
Do Not Lick this Book |
Idan Ben-Barak |
Julian Frost |
|
Allen & Unwin |
|
|
Luna Loves Library Day |
Joseph Coelho |
Fiona Lumbers |
|
Andersen Press |
|
|
After the Fall |
Dan Santat |
|
|
Andersen Press |
|
|
The New Neighbours |
Sarah McIntyre |
|
|
David Fickling Books |
|
|
The Old Man |
Sarah V |
Claude Dubois |
Daniel Hahn |
Gecko Press |
|
|
Here We Are |
Oliver Jeffers |
|
|
HarperCollins |
|
|
The Lost Wolf |
Mini Grey |
|
|
Jonathan Cape |
|
|
Bob’s Blue Period |
Marion Deuchars |
|
|
Laurence King |
|
|
Stardust |
Jeanne Willis |
Briony May Smith |
|
Nosy Crow |
|
|
This Zoo is Not for You |
Ross Collins |
|
|
Nosy Crow |
|
|
The Squirrels Who Squabbled |
Rachel Bright |
Jim Field |
|
Orchard Books |
|
|
The Big Book of the Blue |
Yuval Zommer |
|
|
Thames & Hudson |
|
|
The Drum |
Ken Wilson-Max |
Catell Ronca |
|
Tiny Owl Publishing |
|
|
I Am Bat |
Morag Hood |
|
|
Two Hoots |
|
|
The Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse |
Mac Barnett |
Jon Klassen |
|
Walker |
|
|
Baby Goes to Market |
Atinuke |
Angela Brooksbank |
|
Walker |
|
|
We Travel So Far |
Laura Knowles |
Chris Madden |
|
Words & Pictures |
|
Longlist 7-11
|
Title |
Author |
Illustrator |
Translator |
Imprint |
|
The Chinese Emperor’s New Clothes |
Ying Chang Compestine |
David Roberts |
|
Abrams Books for Young Readers |
|
The Explorer |
Katherine Rundell |
Hannah Horn |
|
Bloomsbury |
|
The Children of Castle Rock |
Natasha Farrant |
|
|
Faber |
|
Running on Empty |
S. E. Durrant |
Rob Biddulph |
|
Nosy Crow |
|
Nevermoor |
Jessica Townsend |
Beatriz Castro |
|
Orion |
|
Ghost Boys |
Jewell Parker Rhodes |
|
|
Orion |
|
Riding a Donkey Backwards |
Sean Taylor and Khayaal Theatre |
Shirin Adl |
|
Otter-Barry Books |
|
Overheard in a Tower Block |
Joseph Coelho |
Kate Milner |
|
Otter-Barry Books |
|
Sky Dancer |
Gill Lewis |
|
|
Oxford |
|
The Wild Robot |
Peter Brown |
|
|
Piccadilly |
|
Boy 87 |
Ele Fountain |
|
|
Pushkin Press |
|
The Murderer’s Ape |
Jakob Wegelius |
|
Peter Graves |
Pushkin Press |
|
All the Things That Could Go Wrong |
Stewart Foster |
|
|
Simon & Schuster |
|
The Muslims |
Zanib Mian |
|
|
Sweet Apple Books |
|
Kick |
Mitch Johnson |
|
|
Usborne Publishing |
|
The House with Chicken Legs |
Sophie Anderson |
Elisa Paganelli |
|
Usborne Publishing |
|
Three Cheers for Women! |
Marcia Williams |
|
|
Walker |
Longlist 12-16
|
Title |
Author |
Illustrator |
Translator |
Imprint |
|
Things a Bright Girl Can Do |
Sally Nicholls |
|
|
Andersen Press |
|
Rook |
Anthony McGowan |
|
|
Barrington Stoke |
|
Moonrise |
Sarah Crossan |
|
|
Bloomsbury |
|
We See Everything |
William Sutcliffe |
|
|
Bloomsbury |
|
Thornhill |
Pam Smy |
|
|
David Fickling Books |
|
Mike |
Andrew Norris |
|
|
David Fickling Books |
|
The Poet X |
Elizabeth Acevedo |
|
|
Egmont Electric Monkey |
|
Long Way Down |
Jason Reynolds |