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Children's Book Award (UK)

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The Children's Book Award is a British literary award for children's books, run by the Federation of Children's Book Groups and previously known as the Red House Children's Book Award. Books published in the U.K. during the preceding calendar year are eligible. It recognises one "Overall" winner and one book in each of three categories: Books for Younger Children, Books for Younger Readers, and Books for Older Readers.[a] The selections are made entirely by children, which is unique among British literary awards.[1]

The Federation of Children's Book Groups owns and coordinates the Award, which it inaugurated in 1981 as the Children's Book Award. Its purpose has been "to celebrate the books that children themselves love reading."[1] From 2001 to 2015 it was sponsored by the mail order bookshop Red House,[1] a brand owned by bookselling company The Book People.

Process and latest rendition

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The 2017 Overall Winner was from the Books for Younger Readers category and was won by Michael Morpurgo and illustrator Michael Foreman for An Eagle in the Snow, published by HarperCollins.[2] The 2017 winners were announced at an Award Ceremony held in London on Saturday 10 June 2017.

The 2016 Overall Winner was from the Books for Younger Readers category and was won by Pamela Butchart and illustrator Thomas Flintham with My Head Teacher Is a Vampire Rat, published by Nosy Crow.

The 2015 Overall Winner was from the Books for Younger Children and was announced at the Imagine Festival in February. The Winners were Oliver Jeffeys and Drew Daywalt with The Day the Crayons Quit published by HarperCollins.

The 2014 Overall winner was from the Older Readers category, announced in mid-February 2014: The 5th Wave, written by Rick Yancey and published by Penguin Books.[3]

Winners are determined by the votes of children on three category ballots composed by nominations from the same group. "Children from around the world" are eligible to participate in both stages.[4] At least in Britain, many children participate through book groups.[5]

The three ballots, or shortlists, comprise those ten books that garner the most nominations.[6] There are four books on the Younger Children ballot and three each on the Younger Readers and Older Readers ballots.[7]

Winners

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Currently the annual awards cover books first published in the U.K. during the calendar year.

From 1992 to 2017 —the period of one Overall and three category awards[a]— 13 Overall winners have come from the Long Novel or Older Readers category, 9 from the Short Novel or Younger Readers category, 4 from the Picture Book or Younger Children category.[8]

1980s

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Red House Children's Book Award winners, 1981-1989
Year Author Title Publisher
1981 Quentin Blake Mister Magnolia Jonathan Cape
1982 Leon Garfield Fair's Fair Macdonald Young Books
1983 Roald Dahl, illus. by Quentin Blake The BFG Jonathan Cape
1984 Terry Jones, illus. by Michael Foreman The Saga of Erik the Viking Pavilion
1985 Robert Swindells Brother in the Land Oxford University Press
1986 Amanda Graham Arthur Spindlewood
1987 Janet and Allan Ahlberg The Jolly Postman Heinemann
1988 Valerie Thomas, illus. by Korky Paul Winnie the Witch Oxford University Press
1989 Roald Dahl, illus. by Quentin Blake Matilda Jonathan Cape

1990s

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Red House Children's Book Award winners, 1981-1989
Year Category Author Title Publisher
1990 N/A Robert Swindells Room 13 Doubleday
1991 N/A Mick Inkpen Threadbear Hodder & Stoughton
1992 Overall Elizabeth Laird Kiss the Dust Methuen
Picture Book Sally Grindley and Peter Utton SHHH! ABC
Short Novel Dick King-Smith Find the White Horse Viking Press
Long Novel Elizabeth Laird Kiss the Dust Methuen
1993 Overall Jacqueline Wilson The Suitcase Kid Heinemann
Picture Book Berlie Doherty Snowy Collins
Short Novel Jacqueline Wilson The Suitcase Kid Heinemann
Long Novel Robert Westall Gulf Methuen
1994 Overall Ian Strachan The Boy in the Bubble Methuen
Picture Book Lorna and Graham Philpot Amazing Anthony Ant Orion
Short Novel Nigel Hinton The Finders Viking Press
Long Novel Ian Strachan The Boy in the Bubble Methuen
1995 Overall Dick King-Smith Harriet's Hare Doubleday
Picture Book Jeanne Willis, illus. by Korky Paul The Rascally Cake Andersen Press
Short Novel Dick King-Smith Harriet's Hare Doubleday
Long Novel Sharon Creech Walk Two Moons Pan Macmillan
1996 Overall Jacqueline Wilson Double Act Doubleday
Picture Book Paul Geraghty Solo Hutchinson
Short Novel Jacqueline Wilson Double Act Doubleday
Long Novel Michael Morpurgo The Wreck of the Zanzibar Heinemann
1997 Overall Jeremy Strong The Hundred-Mile-an-Hour Dog Viking Press
Picture Book Debi Gliori Mr Bear to the Rescue The O'Brien Press
Short Novel Jeremy Strong The Hundred-Mile-an-Hour Dog Viking Press
Long Novel Ian Strachan Which Way Is Home? Methuen
1998 Overall J. K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Bloomsbury
Picture Book Giles Andreae The Lion Who Wanted to Love Orchard Books
Short Novel Robert Swindells Nightmare Stairs Doubleday
Long Novel J. K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Bloomsbury
1999 Overall J. K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Bloomsbury
Picture Book Kate Lum, illus. by Adrian Johnson What! Bloomsbury
Short Novel Pat Moon, illus. by Nick Sharratt Little Dad Mammoth
Long Novel J. K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Bloomsbury

2000s

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Red House Children's Book Award, 2000-2009
Year Category Author Title Publisher Ref.
2000 Overall Michael Morpurgo, illus. by Michael Foreman Kensuke's Kingdom Heinemann
Picture Book Nicholas Allan Demon Teddy Hutchinson
Short Novel Michael Morpurgo, illus. by Michael Foreman Kensuke's Kingdom Heinemann
Long Novel J. K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Bloomsbury
2001 Overall Kes Gray, illus. by Nick Sharratt Eat Your Peas The Bodley Head
Picture Book Kes Gray, illus. by Nick Sharratt Eat Your Peas The Bodley Head
Short Novel Jacqueline Wilson, illus. by Nick Sharratt Lizzie Zipmouth Corgi
Long Novel J. K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Bloomsbury
2002 Overall Malorie Blackman Noughts and Crosses Corgi [9]
Younger Children Allan Ahlberg, illus. by Katharine McEwen The Man Who Wore All His Clothes Walker Books
Younger Readers Michael Morpurgo Out of the Ashes Macmillan
Older Readers Malorie Blackman Noughts and Crosses Corgi
2003 Overall Anthony Horowitz Skeleton Key Walker Books
Younger Children Giles Andreae, illus. by Nick Sharratt Pants David Fickling
Younger Readers Robert Swindells Blitzed Doubleday
Older Readers Anthony Horowitz Skeleton Key Walker Books
2004 Overall Michael Morpurgo Private Peaceful HarperCollins
Younger Children Kes Gray, illus. by Garry Parsons Billy's Bucket The Bodley Head
Younger Readers Gwyneth Rees The Mum Hunt Macmillan
Older Readers Michael Morpurgo Private Peaceful HarperCollins
2005 Overall Simon James Baby Brains Walker Books
Younger Children Simon James Baby Brains Walker Books
Younger Readers Jacqueline Wilson Best Friends Doubleday
Older Readers Robert Muchamore CHERUB: The Recruit Hodder
2006 Overall Rick Riordan The Lightning Thief Disney Hyperion
Younger Children Jonathan Emmett and Steve Cox Pigs Might Fly! Puffin
Younger Readers Andrew Cope Spy Dog Puffin
Older Readers Rick Riordan The Lightning Thief Disney Hyperion
2007 Overall Andy Stanton You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum! Egmont [10]
Younger Children Jeanne Willis, illus. by Adrian Reynolds Who's in the Loo? Andersen Press [10]
Younger Readers Andy Stanton You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum! Egmont [10]
Older Readers Sophie McKenzie Girl, Missing Simon & Schuster [10]
2008 Overall Derek Landy Skulduggery Pleasant HarperCollins
Younger Children Polly Dunbar Penguin Walker Books
Younger Readers Chris Riddell Ottoline and the Yellow Cat Macmillan
Older Readers Derek Landy Skulduggery Pleasant HarperCollins
2009 Overall Sophie McKenzie Blood Ties Simon & Schuster
Younger Children Allan Ahlberg, illus. by Bruce Ingman The Pencil Walker Books
Younger Readers Kes Gray, illus. by Nick Sharratt and Garry Parsons Daisy and the Trouble with Zoos Transworld
Older Readers Sophie McKenzie Blood Ties Simon & Schuster

2010s

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Red House Children's Book Award, 2010-2019
Year Category Author Title Publisher Ref.
2010 Overall Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games Scholastic
Younger Children Jeanne Willis, illus. by Adam Stower Bottoms Up! Puffin
Younger Readers Tanya Landman Mondays Are Murder Walker Books
Older Readers Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games Scholastic
2011 Overall Michael Morpurgo Shadow HarperCollins
Younger Children Angela McAllister, illus. by Alison Edgson Yuck! That's Not a Monster! Little Tiger Press
Younger Readers Michael Morpurgo Shadow HarperCollins
Older Readers Alex Scarrow Time Riders Penguin
2012 Overall Patrick Ness and Jim Kay A Monster Calls Walker Books [5][11]
Younger Children Chris Wormell Scruffy Bear and the Six White Mice Jonathan Cape [5][11]
Younger Readers Liz Pichon The Brilliant World of Tom Gates Scholastic [5][11]
Older Readers Patrick Ness and Jim Kay A Monster Calls Walker Books [5][11]
2013 Overall Andrew Weale, illus. by Lee Wildish The Spooky Spooky House Corgi
Younger Children Andrew Weale, illus. by Lee Wildish The Spooky Spooky House Corgi
Younger Readers David Walliams, illus. by Tony Ross Gangsta Granny HarperCollins
Older Readers Sophie McKenzie The Medusa Project: Hit Squad Simon & Schuster
2014 Overall Rick Yancey The 5th Wave Penguin [12]
Younger Children Julia Donaldson, illus. by Axel Scheffler Superworm Scholastic [12]
Younger Readers Jennifer Gray Atticus Claw Breaks the Law Faber [12]
Older Readers Rick Yancey The 5th Wave Penguin [12]
2015 Overall Drew Daywalt, illus. by Oliver Jeffers The Day the Crayons Quit HarperCollins [13][14]
Younger Children Drew Daywalt, illus. by Oliver Jeffers The Day the Crayons Quit HarperCollins [13]
Younger Readers David Walliams Demon Dentist HarperCollins [13]
Older Readers Sophie McKenzie Split Second Simon and Schuster [13]
2016 Overall Pamela Butchart, illus. by Thomas Flintham My Head Teacher Is a Vampire Rat Nosy Crow
Younger Children Viviane Schwarz Is There a Dog in This Book? Walker Books
Younger Readers Pamela Butchart, illus. by Thomas Flintham My Head Teacher Is a Vampire Rat Nosy Crow
Older Readers Sarah Crossan Apple and Rain Bloomsbury
2017 Overall Michael Morpurgo, illus. by Michael Foreman An Eagle in the Snow HarperCollins [2]
Younger Children Kes and Claire Gray, illus. by Jim Field Oi Dog! Hachette [2]
Younger Readers Michael Morpurgo, illus. by Michael Foreman An Eagle in the Snow HarperCollins [2]
Older Readers Sarah Crossan One Bloomsbury [2]
2019 Overall Arree Chung Mixed Macmillan
Younger Children Arree Chung Mixed Macmillan
Younger Readers Eoin Colfer, illus. by P. J. Lynch The Dog Who Lost His Bark Walker Books
Older Readers Tom Palmer Armistice Runner Barrington Stoke
2020s
Year Category Author Work Publisher Ref
2020 Overall Tom Palmer D-Day Dog
Younger Children Kjartan Poskitt The Runaway Pea
Younger Readers Zanna Davidson Mutant Zombies Cursed My School Trip
Older Readers Angie Thomas On the Come Up
Confident Readers Tom Palmer D-Day Dog
2022 Overall Peter Bently Octopus Shocktopus!
Younger Children Peter Bently Octopus Shocktopus!
Younger Readers M. G. Leonard The Highland Falcon Thief
Older Readers Liz Kessler When the World Was Ours
2023 Overall Louie Stowell Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Being Good
Younger Children Olaf Falafel Blobfish
Younger Readers Louie Stowell Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Being Good
Older Readers Jennifer Killick Dread Wood

Winners of multiple awards

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Prior to winning the 2012 Red House Award, Overall, A Monster Calls was named the 2011 British Children's Book of the Year.[5] Subsequently, Ness and Kay as writer and illustrator won both annual children's book awards from the professional librarians, the Carnegie Medal and Greenaway Medal; that double award alone was an unprecedented sweep. In fact, no previous Children's/Red House Award winner (Overall) has won the Carnegie Medal and only one has won the Greenaway Medal for illustration: the inaugural Children's winner Mr Magnolia (Jonathan Cape, 1980), written and illustrated by Quentin Blake.

Authors with multiple Children's/Red House Awards

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Michael Morpurgo has won four Overall awards for Kensuke's Kingdom in 2000, Private Peaceful in 2004, Shadow in 2011 and An Eagle in the Snow in 2017. He has also won category awards for The Wreck of the Zanzibar in 1996 and Out of Ashes in 2002.[2]

Four other authors have won two Overall awards:

  • Roald Dahl 1983, 1989
  • Robert Swindells 1985, 1990
  • Jacqueline Wilson 1993, 1996
  • J. K. Rowling 1998, 1999

J. K. Rowling won the Long Novel category four years in succession, 1998 to 2001, for the first four Harry Potter books.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b From 1981 to 1991 there was only a single Children's Book Award. From 1992 to 2001 there were three award categories called Picture Book, Short Novel, and Long Novel; the current category names date from 2002. The official website calls for schoolchildren to nominate a "picture book, chapter book, or novel" (RHCBA, Nominate).

References

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  1. ^ a b c RHCBA, About.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Michael Morpurgo wins Children's Book Award for fourth time". BBC News. 11 June 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  3. ^ "The 5th Wave wins Red House children's book award". Charles Green. theguardian.com. 22 February 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-21.
  4. ^ RHCBA, Nominate.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Jones, Charlotte (18 February 2012). "Children vote A Monster Calls best book of 2012". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  6. ^ RHCBA, Pick of the Year.
  7. ^ RHCBA, 2012 Shortlist. Current shortlist not yet available 2012-09-23.
  8. ^ RHCBA, Past Winners. Retrieved 2014-10-21.
  9. ^ Flood, Alison (26 August 2014). "Malorie Blackman faces racist abuse after call to diversify children's books". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d Pauli, Michelle (2 June 2007). "Bad Man wins children's award". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d "Red House Award Winners". Scholastic Blog. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  12. ^ a b c d Green, Charles (22 February 2014). "The 5th Wave wins Red House children's book award". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  13. ^ a b c d Quinn, Georgie (21 February 2015). "Red House children's book award 2015 winner announced". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  14. ^ "David Walliams wins prize at Red House Children's Book Awards 2015". The Daily Telegraph. 21 February 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2023.

Citations

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