Longlist: Best New Illustrators

The Big Time for The Big Picture: Best New Illustrators longlist revealed

Booktrust has launched their Big Picture campaign with the search to find the UK’s Best New Illustrators.

Children’s books by the 27 longlisted illustrators were all first published in the UK after 2000. Ten winners will be chosen from the list by the Big Picture Committee and announced by Michael Rosen at Bologna Children’s Book Fair on 31 March 2008.

The ten Best New Illustrators will participate in promotional activity intended to raise the significance and importance of illustration. Such activity includes collaboration with Rough Guides to produce The Rough Guide to Picture Books which will be published April 2008.

The illustrators will be appearing in a range of library, festival and bookshop events and promotions throughout 2008 with the Campaign for Learning and for The Big Draw in October.

The longlist is:
Deborah Allwright
Laura Carlin
Alexis Deacon
Polly Dunbar
Lisa Evans
Shelley Fowles
Emily Gravett
Mini Grey
Laura Hambleton
Oliver Jeffers
Simone Lia
Sam Lloyd
David Lucas
Sarah Massini
Mei Matsuoka
Sam McCullen
Alice Melvin
Gwen Milward
Catherine Rayner
David Roberts
Viviane Schwarz
Joel Stewart
Il Sung Na
Kanako Usui
Vicky White
Thomas Doherty
Mungo M’Cosh

The Big Picture Judging Committee comprises author and illustrator Anthony Browne, Sunday Times journalist Nicolette Jones, Antonia Byatt, director of literature strategy at Arts Council England, and author Malorie Blackman.

The Big Picture Campaign was launched in 2007 as a new initiative aimed at promoting picture books and illustrators. Led by Booktrust in partnership with Bookstart, and supported by a range of children’s publishers, the campaign aims to stimulate confidence in the market for picture books.

Booktrust and its associates seek to build an appreciation of picture books on a number of levels: to encourage new audiences to discover picture books, to support new and emerging illustrators and to celebrate the contribution that picture books can make to a child’s development. It will also look at how picture books are valued as collector’s items and pieces of art in their own right.

Caldecott Medal Winner 2008

The 2008 Caldecott Medal winner is The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

From an opening shot of the full moon setting over an awakening Paris in 1931, this tale casts a new light on the picture book form. Hugo is a young orphan secretly living in the walls of a train station where he labors to complete a mysterious invention left by his father. In a work of more than 500 pages, the suspenseful text and wordless double-page spreads narrate the tale in turns. Neither words nor pictures alone tell this story, which is filled with cinematic intrigue. Black & white pencil illustrations evoke the flickering images of the silent films to which the book pays homage.

Read more about Brian Selznick in the spring edition of Carousel - he was interviewed by Chris Stephenson during his brief visit to this country in the late autumn.

Write Away Annual Conference 22 May 2008

WRITE AWAY ANNUAL CONFERENCEMore than Information: Engaging Hearts and Minds through Non-fiction Date: 22nd May 2008 9.00 – 4.00
Venue University of London, Institute of Education, Bedford Way, London
Target audience: leading teachers, advance skills teachers, literacy co-ordinators, literacy consultants, primary class teachers, school librarians, school library services

Description: This inspirations conference aims to reinvigorate the teaching of non-fiction reading and writing in primary schools through implementation of a creative curriculum, harnessing the emotions and asserting the value of aesthetic experience. Delegates will have the opportunity to hear leading voices in the field reflect upon current practices as well as presenting ideas for development and change. A key feature of the conference is a programme of workshops co-presented by writers and educators, which will creatively explore different forms of writing as well as the use of film, photography and drama. Children’s work will be on display during the day. Confirmed speakers include Nicolette Jones, Martin Salisbury, Nicola Davies, Vivian French, Prue Goodwin, Nikki Gamble, Richard Platt, Prodeepta Das and Marilyn Brocklehurst.

Themes addressed include:Finding a voice: children writing non-fictionPhotography – encouraging reflection and questioningNon-fiction filmDrama: creating a need to knowFresh approaches to biographyIllustrating non-fictionWar and picturebooksThe outdoor classroom as a site for non-fiction writingSelecting non-fiction for the library and classroomNon-fiction writing – an affective approach

The conference bookshop will be provided by Marilyn Brocklehurst’s and the amazing Norfolk Children’s Book Centre. Earlybird booking on or before 28th February 2008 £90 After the 28th February £125 10 places reserved for student teachers will be allocated by prize draw.

Further information and to register interest e-mail info@writeaway.org.uk

Launch Year of Reading 2008

At a Downing Street launch for the National Year of Reading on Tuesday 8 January, Prime Minister Gordon Brown declared literacy "one of the best anti-poverty, deprivation and crime policies we can think of". The event saw Brown lay out his ambitions for a year which would "make thousands who can't read able to read, and get thousands of those who can read to read more", leaving a lasting legacy of readers in the country.Co-hosted by Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, the event was attended by librarians, reading champions, authors Tony Parsons, Michael Morpurgo, Anthony Horowitz and Sophie Kinsella, and Richard Madeley and Amanda Ross, presenter and producer of Channel 4's "Richard and Judy".Speaking to The Bookseller, Balls said that publishers should encourage their authors to get involved in events to promote excitement around reading, while bookshops could contribute by creating "fun places to go". He called for all employers, schools, libraries, colleges and local authorities to get involved by signing up to the National Year of Reading website at www.yearofreading.org.uk.

Happy New Year

Apologies for the lack of news - moving house and sorting out the computer and broadband and then Christmas took over, not to mention unpacking books and putting up bookshelves. Normal service should be resumed with a bit of luck! enid

Booktrust Teenage Prize 2007

Marcus Sedgwick is the winner of the Booktrust Teenage Prize 2007 for his gothic novel My Swordhand is Singing, published by Orion.


The prize was established by Booktrust in 2003 to recognise and celebrate contemporary fiction written for teenagers.


My Swordhand is Singing is a sinister tale of a woodcutter and his son who fight the legendary undead in the wintry isolated forests of seventeenth-century Romania. The novel is a thrilling and menacing story which draws heavily on Sedgwick’s extensive research of the vampire legend in Eastern Europe.

Sedgwick, whose novels have been shortlisted for a variety of awards including the Carnegie Medal, the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize and the Blue Peter Book Award, was present at the ceremony held in the Pearson Building to collect his trophy and cheque for £2,500.
Anthony McGowan, judge and winner of Booktrust Teenage Prize 2006:
"The 2007 Booktrust Prize turned up some stunning novels. But one novel stood out for its utterly gripping narrative, its brilliantly created atmosphere of terror and suspense, and the subtle poetry of its language. Marcus Sedgwick’s My Swordhand is Singing hooks the reader from the opening sentence, and, like the Gypsy music at its core, resonates still in the imagination long after the last note is sounded."
Viv Bird, Director of Booktrust: "Choosing this year’s winner from such a superb shortlist was extremely daunting for all our judges. The books were all of extraordinary calibre: compelling, beautifully written and reflecting a wide variety of themes. We are delighted that the Booktrust Teenage Prize is attracting such remarkable authors and congratulate Marcus wholeheartedly on his outstanding book."


The shortlisted books for the Booktrust Teenage Prize 2007 are:
Theresa Breslin The Medici Seal Doubleday
Kate Cann Leaving Poppy Scholastic
Mal Peet The Penalty Walker Books
Philip Reeve Here Lies Arthur Scholastic
Meg Rosoff Just in Case Penguin
Marcus Sedgwick My Swordhand is Singing Orion


The judges for the Booktrust Teenage Prize 2007 are:
Angela Wilkinson, librarian (Chair)
Tom Gatti, Associate Editor, The Times Books
Anthony McGowan, author
Isabelle Ellis-Cockcroft, school student
Sam Audet, young judge short story competition winner
Katharine Flach, young judge short story competition winner
Matthew Sawyer, young judge short story competition winner
Francesca Grapes, young judge short story competition winner
Zita Abila, young judge short story competition winner

Guardian Children's Fiction Prize

The winner of the 40th Guardian Children's Fiction Prize went to Jenny Valentine with her first novel Finding Violet Park published, and now available in paperback, from HarperCollins. She will be on the Richard and Judy Best Kids' Books Ever programme on October 28.

Early Years Award Winners and Big Picture

Booktrust was thrilled to announce both the winners of their coveted Early Years Awards, and the launch of their Big Picture campaign whose aim is to find the best new illustrators.

Speaking at the awards ceremony at BAFTA in Piccadilly Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen revealed Booktrust’s plans to encourage and embrace the new generation of talented illustrators by launching the search for the Best New Illustrators. Booktrust aim to find the best illustrators first published in the UK in or after 2000. The winners will be announced in spring 2008.
Michael Rosen, Children’s Laureate: "The picture book is a wonderful art form that can delight the eye and the ear at the same time. It is really good that we have this campaign to support this medium. Awards like this will enable us to welcome in the next generation, which will gives us the Quentin Blake, Raymond Briggs and Shirley Hughes of the future."

Booktrust were delighted to announce the winners for their 2007 Early Years Awards, which exemplify the remarkable creativity in words, design and illustration necessary to encourage young children into reading.
The winner for the Baby Book Award:
Jess Stockham Tucking In Child’s Play
The winner for the Pre-School Award:
Polly Dunbar Penguin Walker Books
The winner for the Best Emerging Illustrator:
Emily Gravett Monkey and Me Macmillan Children’s

Wendy Cooling presented the winners for each category with a cheque for £2,000 and a customised trophy. The best new illustrator was presented with a specially commissioned piece of original artwork donated by the children’s illustrator Axel Scheffler. The publishers of the three winning titles were presented with trophies naming them as one of the Booktrust Early Years Awards Publishers of the Year.
Viv Bird, Director of Booktrust:
"We were overwhelmed by the number of entries to our awards this year. The three deserving winners hugely impressed the panel with their creativity and beautifully illustrated books to delight and inspire new readers."
The judges for 2007 are:
Wendy Cooling, Children’s Book Consultant (Chair)
Axel Scheffler, Illustrator
Elena Dalrymple, Editor of Mother & Baby Magazine
Clive Barnes, Children’s Librarian
Angela Lewis, Modernisation Lead for Children, Young People and Families at East Riding of Yorkshire Primary Care Trust
The Booktrust Early Years Awards are supported by the national Bookstart Programme and their sponsors and The Unwin Charitable Trust. Booktrust would like to thank Mother & Baby Magazine for being our 2007 media partner.

The Big Picture is a campaign to put picture books in the public eye. In particular it will work to improve the status and profile of illustrators and to engage more adults with picture books. The Big Picture's Best New Illustrators initiative is open to all illustrators first published in the UK in or after 2000. Publishers should consult the submission guidelines on www.bigpicture.org.uk for more details of how to take part. The Best New Illustrators will be announced in spring next year and will form the core of the Big Picture's national promotion through the rest of 2008. The Big Picture is supported by children's publishers and by Bookstart. For more information contact Abigail Campbell (abigailatwork@googlemail.com) or Emma Phillips (emma@booktrust.org.uk)

Korky Paul and the Story Museum

Would you or someone you love like to appear in a future Winnie the Witch story by award-winning children's illustrator, Korky Paul? Visit Korky’s studio (or send a colour photograph), have your likeness drawn and receive a signed copy of the book on publication. This unique gift is being auctioned online to raise money for the Story Museum project in Oxford. The auction runs from 5th to 15th October 2007.
Visit www.toplots.co.uk

Royal Mail Awards for Scottish Children's Books Shortlist

The Royal Mail Awards for Scottish Children's BooksThe best books of the year, as voted for by Scottish ChildrenNOW THE UK'S BIGGEST CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD

Managed by Scottish Book Trustwww.braw.org.uk/royalmailawards

Formerly the Scottish Arts Council Children's Book of the Year, the awards were relaunched last year as a national readership development campaign to encourage readership of Scottish books in Scottish schools. During the 2006 campaign, nearly 5,000 children from every education authority in Scotland were involved in reading the shortlist and nearly 3,000 votes were cast.The 2007 awards are bigger than ever. With a total prize fund of £15,000 they are now the UK's biggest children's book award. And not only that, their reach across Scotland is bigger than ever before. So far, nearly 8,000 kids have signed up to judge this year's award .... and there are still 3 months to run. For details of this year's shortlist, visit http://www.braw.org.uk/RoyalMailAwards/2007/Shortlist

The Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition

The Times and Chicken House have teamed up to find an undiscovered new voice in children's books. The judges are Barry Cunningham (publisher and MD of Chicken House), Amanda Craig (children's reviewer The Times), Malorie Blackman (award-winning children's author), Wayne Winstone (children's category manager Waterstone's) and Karen Robinson (children's librarian and YLG committee member).

A shortlist of five will be announced in Feb 2008 with the winner announced at Easter. Publication planned for autumn 08. For details of how to submit a manuscript go to www.timesonline.co.uk/childrensauthor

Children's Poetry Bookshelf Competition

The new Children’s Laureate, Michael Rosen, is to chair the judging of a nationwide poetry competition for 7-11 year olds. The Competition is organised by the Children’s Poetry Bookshelf, a poetry book club for young people run by the Poetry Book Society.

To link with National Poetry Day on Thursday 4 October, children will be asked to write a poem no longer than 25 lines on the theme of ‘Dreams’.Now in its second year, the Children’s Poetry Bookshelf Competition is open to both individuals and schools, with prizes being awarded in two age groups, 7- 8 year olds and 9 -11 year olds. Entries will be accepted from Thursday 13 September, up until the closing date of Monday 15 October.

The winners will be announced at an award ceremony in December, where they will be presented with cash prizes and poetry books for their school. Last year’s inaugural competition attracted nearly 5,000 entries from across the UK and overseas.

Michael Rosen was appointed to the prestigious post of Children’s Laureate on 11 June, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to children’s literature. On accepting the two-year post, he said, "I think poetry for children needs to be saved from the cold dissection table of right and wrong answers and put back into rooms and halls full of wonder, compassion, haunting, laughter, music and rhythm. We need to hear its many voices, many cultures, many sounds.”

The National Write-a-Poem Competition will encourage children to play with poetry, by providing an outlet for their creativity with language and encouraging teachers to bring poetry alive in the classroom. A teacher’s guide to accompany the competition will be available to download from the Children’s Poetry Bookshelf website (www.childrenspoetrybookshelf.co.uk) from the beginning of September, along with further information about the competition.

Michael Rosen is joined on the judging committee by children’s poet and Children’s Poetry Bookshelf patron, Valerie Bloom; award-winning poet and educationalist, Mandy Coe; children’s books expert and founder of Bookstart, Wendy Cooling; lecturer in literacy and children's books at the University of Reading, Prue Goodwin; children’s poet, Wes Magee; and Morag Styles, Reader in Children’s Literature and Education at the University of Cambridge.The Children’s Poetry Bookshelf Competition is generously supported by Old Possums Practical Trust.

Outside In - Children's Writers In Translation Bookshow

The Children’s Bookshow is celebrating its fifth year with a dazzling array of children’s writers and performers from across the globe. Boori Monty Pryor from Australia, Francesco D’Adamo from Italy and Kazumi Yumoto from Japan are amongst the authors taking part. The tour also includes three dates with Michael Rosen, the recently appointed UK Children’s Laureate.

The theme ‘Outside In: Children’s Writers in Translation’ has been chosen to introduce children to the richness of the world’s many literatures through fiction and live performance. It follows on from the Bookshow’s first successful literature in translation tour in 2005. During the tour, as well as appearing in performances in theatres, some of the authors will also take part in free writing workshops for local schools to help broaden children’s horizons and provide a fresh outlook on others’ lives and cultures.

The Children’s Bookshow is the only annual UK tour of children’s authors and poets and is supported by Arts Council England. The tour is timed to coincide with Children’s Book Week (1-7 October 2007) organised by Booktrust. Dates within the tour also form part of the Ilkley and Manchester Literature Festivals and the Bexhill Children’s Literature Festival.

The Authors:
Daniel Morden from Wales is one of the leading storytellers in the UK. His Children’s Bookshow Event will be based on his published collection of Welsh Gypsy Tales, translated from the Roma in the 1920s. He has told tales all over the world and his first published anthology Weird Tales from the Storyteller was nominated for the Tir na n-Og Welsh Children’s Book Prize.
Boori Monty Pryor is an indigenous Australian. His father is from the Birri-gubba Nation and his mother’s tribal group is the Kunggandji. Awards include the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Young Adult Fiction and the National Aboriginal and Islander Observance Day Committee Award for ‘outstanding contribution to the promotion of indigenous culture’.
Lilli Thal is from Germany; her most recent novel Mimus was short-listed for this year’s Marsh Award for Children’s Literature in Translation. Lilli has a Master’s degree in medieval history, art and archaeology and has won multiple awards for her three previous young adult novels.
Kazumi Yumoto was born in Tokyo where she still lives today. She is the author of Letters from the Living, The Spring Tone and The Friends. Her awards include the Mildred L Batchelder Award and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. Her book The Friends has been made into a feature film by Japanese director Shinji Somai.
Francesco D’Adamo is a writer and teacher who lives in Milan. His first novel published in the UK, Iqbal was short-listed by the American Library Association for both the John Newberry Medal and the Randolph Caldecott medal. He has also received the New York Christopher Award and the International Reading Association Teachers’ Choices Booklist Prize. Aurora Metro Press will publish his new book, My Brother Johnny, in October to coincide with the tour. Daniel Pennac is one of France’s most celebrated authors. His books for adults and children have been translated into over thirty languages. His translator Sarah Adams won the Marsh Award for Children’s Literature in Translation for his novel The Eye of the Wolf. Most recently, Walker Books have published his The Rights of the Reader with illustrations from Quentin Blake, a book that has sold over a million copies in France.

Kevin Crossley-Holland will interview Lilli Thal during the bookshow. Kevin is a poet, librettist and reteller of myth, legend and folk tale as well as a novelist. He has won numerous awards including the Carnegie Medal, Guardian Children’s Fiction Award, Smarties Prize and the Tir na n-Og Welsh Children’s Book Prize. Orion will publish his latest book Gatty’s Tale in paperback in October 2007.

Eva Ibbotson will interview Lilli Thal during the Bookshow. Eva writes for both children and adults. Her awards include Nestle Gold and Silver Awards, runner up for both the Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year and the Guardian Fiction award. She has also been short-listed for the Carnegie Medal. Pan McMillan will publish her new novel The Morning Gift in October 2007.

Tim Bowler will interview Kazumi Yumoto during the Bookshow. Tim has won numerous awards for his children’s books most notably The Carnegie Medal for his third novel River Boy. He has also won the Angus Book Award, Lancashire Libraries Children’s Book Award, South Lanarkshire Book Award and the Stockton Libraries Award.

Oliver Wilson-Dickson will perform with Daniel Morden during the Bookshow. Oliver works as a performer and composer with bands and theatre companies in the UK and abroad. Recent collaborations include a show at the Royal Opera House and a new project with the poet Ian McMillan and several leading musicians.

Michael Rosen will interview Kazumi Yumoto, Francesco D’Adamo and Daniel Pennac for the Bookshow. Michael is one of the most influential figures in contemporary children’s literature and was this year appointed as the fifth Children’s Laureate. With his own writing, his anthologies and performances he has been instrumental in taking poetry out of the ghetto and into the hearts and minds of children throughout the UK and beyond.

Quentin Blake will perform with Daniel Pennac and Michael Rosen for the Bookshow. Quentin is the UK’s best-known and much loved illustrator of children’s books. Although he is known for his collaboration with Russell Hoban, Michael Rosen, and most famously, Roald Dahl, he has also created much-loved characters of his own, including Mister Magnolia. His books have won numerous awards and in 1999 he was appointed the first ever Children’s Laureate. In 2002 he won the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration and in 2004, the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.

The Dates:
De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill Thursday 27 September 10.30amDaniel Morden (Wales) and Oliver Wilson-Dickson For Children of Primary School ageBox office 01424 229 111 boxoffice@dlwp.comChildren £2 Teachers freehttp://www.dlwp.com/

Unicorn Theatre, LondonMonday 1 October 1.30pmBoori Monty Pryor (Australia)For Children of Primary School ageBox office 020 7645 0560 boxoffice@unicorntheatre.com Children £5 Teachers freehttp://www.unicorntheatre.com/

King Henry's School, IlkleyTuesday 2 October 1:45pmBoori Monty Pryor (Australia)For Children of Secondary School ageBox office 01943 816714Children £3 Teachers freehttp://www.ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk/

Library Theatre, ManchesterFriday 5 October 10:30amBoori Monty Pryor (Australia)For Children of Primary School ageBox office 0161 236 7110Children free Teachers freehttp://www.librarytheatre.com/http://www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/ Library Theatre, ManchesterFriday 5 October 1:30pmLilli Thal (Germany) and Kevin Crossley-Holland For Children of Secondary School ageBox office 0161 236 7110 Children free Teachers free http://www.librarytheatre.com/ http://www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/

Seven Stories, NewcastleMonday 8 October 10:30amLilli Thal (Germany) and Eva IbbotsonFor Children of Secondary School ageBox office 0845 271 0777Children £3.50 Teachers free (2 for every 10 children) Adults £5http://www.sevenstories.org.uk/

Oxford Playhouse, OxfordWednesday 10 October 10:45amKazumi Yumoto (Japan) and Tim BowlerFor Children of Secondary School ageBox office 01865 305305Children £4 Teachers free (1 for every 15 children) Adults £5.50http://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/

Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfield Thursday 11 October 1:00pmKazumi Yumoto (Japan) and Michael Rosen For Children of Secondary School ageBox office 01246 345 222Children £3 Teachers free http://www.pomegranatetheatre.co.uk/

L'Istituto Italiano di Cultura, LondonFriday 12 October 6:30pmFrancesco D'Adamo (Italy) and Michael Rosen For Children of Secondary School ageBox office 020 7235 1461Children free Teachers free Adults freehttp://www.iiclondra.esteri.it/

L'Institut Français, LondonWednesday 5 December 6:30pmDaniel Pennac (France), Michael Rosen and Quentin BlakeFor Children of Primary School ageBox office 020 7073 1350Children free Teachers free Adults freehttp://www.institut-francais.org.uk/

Children's Book Week 2007

Children's Book Week
1-7 October 2007
Children's Book Week is an annual celebration of reading for pleasure co-ordinated by Booktrust. They provide resources to help schools and libraries focus on children's reading for a special day or week, and to plan activities and events to encourage children's enjoyment of books. The theme of this year's Book Week is the environment.

Free Resource Pack
The Children’s Book Week pack contains a useful Resource Guide including a range of activity sheets, a new poster, a bookmark and the updated Best Book Guide. State primary schools and public libraries in England will receive a free copy of the pack in the week beginning the 18 June.
For more posters or to request additional free packs, email education@booktrust.org.uk
Children's Book Week Resource Guide (Adobe Acrobat pdf 3.5Mb)
Crayola and Children's Book Week Poster Competition
Get thinking about Children's Book Week by designing posters for this exciting competition
Supporters
Children's Book Week is sponsored by Crayola. With thanks to Egmont UK Ltd, this year's lead publisher sponsor. Thanks also to Bloomsbury Children's Books, Walker Books and illustrator Deborah Allwright for their support

Children's Book Week Events
What are your plans for Children's Book Week? Let education@booktrust.org.uk know.

Summer Reading Challenge

This year’s theme for the public libraries Summer Reading Challenge is The Big Wild Read and the aim is to encourage children to read six or more books in the summer holidays. As well as being a personal reading challenge, it’s about helping children really enjoy what they read, discover more about books, know how to find books that are right for them, and share ‘reading time’ with parents, library staff and friends. The website will offer children an exciting fusion of reading and IT, with interactive activities. Through a link with Stories from the Web children can contribute reviews and see what other children are reading. www.bigwildread.co.uk

Opportunity for Graphic Novelists

Aspiring graphic novelists should be aware that Jonathon Cape and the Observer are running a competition judged by, amongst others, member Posy Simmonds. The deadline for entries is 3 September. http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/graphicnovels/competition.htm

Children's Book Prizes Updates

Awards

Siobhan Dowd and editors David Fickling and Bella Pearson have won the 2007 Branford Boase Award for A Swift Pure Cry (Random/David Fickling).

Rick Riordan has won the East Sussex Primary Schools Book Award 2006-7

Sophie McKenzie's debut novel Girl, Missing has won the Bolton Book Award, just a matter of weeks after it won the Red House Children's Book Award for Older Readers category.
Catalyst Book Award (North Lanarkshire) shortlistStartled by His Furry Shorts by Louise RennisonTokyo by Graham MarksHenry Tumour by Anthony McGowanJust in Case by Meg Rosoff

J A C West’s Pip of Pengersick - A Smuggler's Tale has won the children's section of the Cornish award Holyer An Gof.

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

David Wood will be directing his adaptation of Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, opening on July 31st and running until August 25th. All the performances are at 2.30, with a few morning ones on Saturdays. Full details on the Open Air Theatre website, www.openairtheatre.org. www.davidwood.org.uk

Winner of the Top Ten Carnegie & Greenaway Medal Books

Philip Pullman has cemented his place as one of the stars of children's literature this evening, triumphing in a poll to choose book lovers' favourite winner from the Carnegie medal's 70-year history.

Pullman's Northern Lights (Carnegie winner 1995) beat off competition from Carnegie winners including Mary Norton's The Borrowers (1937), Philippa Pearce's Tom's Midnight Garden (1957) and David Almond's Skellig (1998).

In an online public poll the former teacher took 40% of the total votes and also received the highest number of votes from overseas - a total of 36% from North America, Europe, Asia and Australia combined, demonstrating the international appeal of his books, which have been translated into 37 languages and sold over 12m copies worldwide.

The "Greenaway of Greenaways" - the accompanying award for children's illustration - was won by Shirley Hughes with Dogger, winner of the Kate Greenaway medal in 1977. She beat Janet and Allan Ahlberg's Each Peach Pear Plum into second place by just 1% of the votes. Lauren Child's I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato took third place.

(extracted from The Guardian)

Greenaway and Carnegie Medals

Both were awarded today at the British Library.



Carousel has championed the winner of the Greenaway since her very start - a terrific talent - and are delighted she has won this major award

MINI GREY: THE ADVENTURES OF THE DISH AND THE SPOONJonathan Cape ISBN: 9780224070379

The Carnegie has been won by Meg Rosoff who stormed onto the Children's Book scene in 2004 with her first novel "How I live Now" which won both the Guardian and Branford Boase Awards. This is her second novel, published in 2006.

MEG ROSOFF: JUST IN CASE Penguin ISBN: 9780141380780