BfK News: November 2010

AWARDS

Booktrust Teenage Prize 2010
The winner is Unhooking the Moon by Gregory Hughes (Quercus), a stunning first novel about two orphaned siblings who set out on a poignant and gripping road-trip adventure. (This title is also featured in the New Talent slot in this issue of Books for Keeps.)

The other shortlisted books are The Enemy by Charlie Higson (Puffin); Halo by Zizou Corder (Puffin); Nobody’s Girl by Sarra Manning (Hodder); Out of Shadows by Jason Wallace (Andersen) and Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick (Orion). The Booktrust Teenage Prize was launched in 2003 to recognise and celebrate the best contemporary writing for teenagers.

Further information from www.booktrust.org.uk

2010 Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize
Michelle Paver has won with Ghost Hunter, the final book in her best-selling ‘Chronicles of Ancient Darkness’ series. Julia Eccleshare, chair of the judges, said, ‘Whatever the individual judges thought about fantasy before they began Ghost Hunter – and some admitted to hating it! – they were immediately captivated by Michelle’s brilliantly created world, her wonderfully dramatic story and her powerful storytelling.’

The CLPE Poetry Award for 2010
The winner is Carol Ann Duffy’s New and Collected Poems for Children (Faber and Faber), illustrated by Alice Stevenson. The judges of the award this year were John Agard, Andrew Lambirth and Lindsay MacRae, chaired by Margaret Meek Spencer.

NEWS

Bestselling Twilight
Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight has sold more than two million copies in the UK since the turn of the century. Meyer thus joins only 13 writers including Mark Haddon and J K Rowling, who have achieved comparable sales in this period.

J K Rowling multiple sclerosis donation
J K Rowling, the author of the ‘Harry Potter’ books, has donated £10 million to research and treat multiple sclerosis, the disease that killed her mother at the age of 45. Now 45 herself, Rowling was 15 when her mother was diagnosed. She was writing the first Harry Potter book when her mother died and the theme of death appears powerfully in her books, with the young hero having to suffer the death of his parents.

YLG Honorary Membership
Congratulations to Klaus Flugge, Managing Director of Andersen Press, who has been awarded Honorary Membership of the Youth Libraries Group in recognition of his passion for picture books and ability to nurture talent.