BRANFORD BOASE AWARD 2012: WINNERS ANNOUNCED

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BRANFORD BOASE AWARD 2012: WINNERS ANNOUNCED

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher, edited by Fiona Kennedy and published by Orion Children’s Books has won the 2012 Branford Boase Award, given annually to the author and editor of the most outstanding debut novel for children.

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece is the story of ten-year-old Jamie Matthews. Five years after his sister's twin, Rose, was blown up by a terrorist bomb Jamie, his dad and teenage sister Jasmine have moved to the Lake District for a 'Fresh New Start'. In fact, things get even worse for the family.

It was published to much acclaim and made the shortlists of a number of other major children’s book awards including the CILIP Carnegie Medal, the Red House Children’s Book Award and the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize.

In fact this has been an extraordinary year for debut novels: over 60 books were submitted for the 2012 Branford Boase AwardCILIP Carnegie Medal.

Last year’s winner Jason Wallace summed up the judges’ comments by describing My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece as “a practically perfect novel”.

Chair of the judges, Children’s Books editor of The Guardian Julia Eccleshare added, ‘The writing is excellent, the difficult premise is handled with great skill, and Annabel Pitcher absolutely captures the voice of ten year-year-old Jamie.’

At the ceremony, at which the awards were presented by Jacqueline Wilson, a delighted Annabel Pitcher paid tribute to the “wisdom, guidance and expertise” of her editor, Fiona Kennedy.’

The Branford Boase Award was set up in memory of prize-winning author Henrietta Branford and Wendy Boase, editorial director and one of the founders of Walker Books. Both Henrietta and Wendy died of cancer in 1999. The award is specifically to encourage new writers and to highlight the importance of the editor in nurturing new talent. It has an extremely successful record in picking future best-selling and critically acclaimed authors. Previous shortlisted and winning writers include Marcus Sedgwick, Meg Rosoff, Philip Reeve, William Nicholson and Frank Cottrell Boyce.

The other shortlisted books were:

Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough, edited by Annie Eaton and Natalie Doherty (Bodley Head)

Being Billy by Phil Earle, edited by Shannon Park (Puffin

Small Change for Stuart by Lissa Evans, edited by Annie Eaton and Ruth Knowles (Bodley Head)

Everybody Jam by Ali Lewis, edited by Charlie Sheppard (Andersen Press)

Sky Hawk by Gill Lewis, edited by Liz Cross (OUP)

A Beautiful Lie by Irfan Master, edited by Emma Matthewson (Bloomsbury)

Running alongside the Branford Boase Award, the Henrietta Branford Writing Competition encourages writing talent in under 18s. Jacqueline Wilson also presented prizes at the ceremony to six children, winners of the competition.

For more information about the award and the Henrietta Branford Writing Competition visit www.branfordboaseaward.org.uk.