Branford Boase Award: Shortlist 2013

BRANFORD BOASE AWARD: SHORTLIST 2013 ‘Seven outstanding debuts, eight really interesting authors, doing really interesting things’ The shortlist for the Branford Boase Award 2013 is announced today. The Branford Boase Award is given annually to the author of an outstanding debut novel for children. Uniquely, it also honours the editor of the winning title and highlights the importance of the editor in nurturing new talent. For the second year running, over 60 books were submitted for the award, an indication of the wealth of talent amongst new authors for children, and of UK publishers’ enthusiasm to nurture and promote them. The shortlist is particularly varied and includes outstanding novels for young readers, historical romances, a ghost story, a challenging dystopian thriller and a time-travel adventure set in 16th century London, the last by a writing duo. The seven shortlisted books are: After the Snow by S D Crockett, edited by Emma Young (Macmillan) The Things We Did for Love by Natasha Farrant, edited by Julia Heydon-Wells (Faber) Daylight Saving by Edward Hogan, edited by Mara Bergman (Walker) A Hen in the Wardrobe by Wendy Meddour, edited by Janetta Otter-Barry (Frances Lincoln) Black Arts by Andrew Prentice & Jonathan Weil, edited by Simon Mason (David Fickling) A Boy and a Bear in a Boat by Dave Shelton, edited by David Fickling (David Fickling) A World Between Us by Lydia Syson, edited by Sarah Odedina (Hot Key) This year the judges are Joy Court, Learning Resources Manager for Coventry City Council; Prue Goodwin, consultant and lecturer in children’s literature; Julie Randles, former Managing Director of Scholastic Book Clubs; and Annabel Pitcher, author of My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, winner of last year’s Branford Boase Award. The panel is chaired by Julia Eccleshare, children’s books editor of The Guardian. Julia Eccleshare says: ‘This year’s longlist was exceptionally strong and the shortlisted books are extremely accomplished. Here are eight really interesting authors, doing really interesting things in their writing.’ The Branford Boase Award judging panel has a very successful record in picking future best-selling and critically acclaimed authors. Previous shortlisted and winning writers include Marcus Sedgwick, Meg Rosoff, Philip Reeve, Cathy Cassidy, Kevin Brooks, William Nicholson, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Mal Peet and Bali Rai. Last year’s winner Annabel Pitcher was recently awarded the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for her second novel, Ketchup Clouds while her Branford Boase winning debut My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece was shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal, the Red House Children’s Book Award and the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. The winner of the 2013 Branford Boase Award will be announced on Thursday 11th July at a ceremony in London. The winning author receives a cheque for £1,000 and both author and editor receive a unique, hand-crafted silver-inlaid box in the shape of a book.