Can You Tickle a Tiger wins BookTrust Storytime Prize

Can You Tickle A Tiger? by Gemma Cooper (writing as Bobbie Brooks), illustrated by Carrie Hennon and published by Imagine That has been recognised as the best new book for sharing with young children by BookTrust and awarded the BookTrust Storytime Prize. The winning book, one of a selection of six shortlisted, was voted for by librarians and families who participated in BookTrust Storytime. BookTrust Storytime ran in over 2000 libraries across the country.  

Now in its second year, BookTrust Storytime was designed to support libraries across England and Northern Ireland to inspire and engage families with children under the age of five to share stories and visit libraries as part of their family reading journeys. This programme has a particular focus on support for low-income backgrounds as children from these families face greater barriers at school, with their health, wellbeing and later life chances. 

Evidence shows that sharing stories and reading together in the early years has been proven to bring children wide-ranging benefits that positively impact their health and mental wellbeing, education, creativity and gives them the best start in life.

Through the programme, BookTrust provided libraries with six specially shortlisted books that are great for sharing with babies and children in their early years and a specially designed suite of resources that libraries used to create a range of experiences, to attract new families and introduce them to fun, lively and inclusive story sharing experiences.  

The resources include activity sheets to accompany the shortlisted books, materials that encourage exploration of libraries and certificates and sticker books that librarians use to engage children and bring Storytime sessions to life. For the duration of the programme, BookTrust also supported libraries with additional digital resources which they used flexibly to create interactive, memorable experiences for families that keep them returning to their local libraries. 

2,319 libraries and 145 English local authorities participated, creating an important boost for thousands of new families on their shared reading journey. 

A Library Manager from London said of the programme, ‘It has enabled me to put together a programme of Storytime events for two plus months, introducing Storytime to a whole new audience and giving the library team an opportunity to meet with the community. The children have really enjoyed the three titles we’ve read so far and are enjoying the colouring sheets, stickers and photo frame at the events.  The stories are diverse and exciting, allowing the children to chat amongst themselves while we are all colouring together. Personally, I’m enjoying delivering these events in partnership with BookTrust, it’s so lovely seeing the enjoyment the children are experiencing at these sessions.’

Diana Gerald, Chief Executive of BookTrust continued ‘BookTrust Storytime is part of our wider approach to offer families from low-income backgrounds, multiple opportunities to share stories with their children throughout their early years, so they can enjoy the lifechanging benefits of reading. In this second year, it’s encouraging to see so many libraries working closely with local groups and their wider communities using the BookTrust Storytime shortlisted books and resources creatively to encourage new families into their libraries.‘

Gemma Cooper (Bobbie Brooks), author of Can You Tickle A Tiger? said, ‘Carrie and I had so much fun creating the book. When we were developing ideas, we both had the same idea at the same time and shouted ‘Tickle!’ at each other! That idea influenced the bright illustrations and the rhyming words, as well as the tactile felt trails on every page, and we had great fun imagining which animals children would love to tickle. So to learn that children and families have voted for the book in this way is just wonderful.’

This year the programme ran for nine months, giving libraries the time to engage with families on different occasions and with a range of activities. It was designed in partnership with families, libraries and local authorities, aiming to deliver experiences for families which built up their confidence and enjoyment of sharing books with their children and inspired them to read outside of the library sessions. 

The other titles shortlisted for the 2023 Prize were: 

Nature Trail by Benjamin Zephaniah & Nila Aye (Orchard Books);  

The Duck Who Didn’t Like Water by Steve Small (Simon and Schuster Children’s Books);  

The Horse That Jumped by Thomas Docherty (Farshore, Harper Collins);  

Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry by Michelle Robinson & Jez Tuya (Anderson Press);  

Zoom: Farm Adventure by Susan Hayes & Aviel Basil (What on Earth Books)