Scholastic Schools Live – Books For Keeps

Congratulations to Jenny Pearson and Rob Biddulph, Izzi Howell, and Sam Harper and Chris Jevons, who have been named winners of the Laugh Out Loud Awards aka The Lollies, a set of awards created by Scholastic UK to celebrate the funniest children’s books. They triumphed in the following categories:

Best Laugh Out Loud Picture Book

101 Bums by Sam Harper and Chris Jevons (Hodder Children’s Books)

Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 6–8 year olds

Cats React to Science Facts by Izzi Howell (Wayland)

Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 9–13 year olds

The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates by Jenny Pearson and Rob Biddulph (Usborne)

The Lollies are now in their fifth successful year, and back from a brief hiatus due to lockdown in 2021. The shortlist was drawn up by a panel of judges, with Michael Rosen as Head Lollies judge, along with actor and writer, Stephen Mangan and teachers Maaria Khan and Ceridwen Eccles, but the winners were chosen by children, their votes gathered via Scholastic’s schools channels.

The winners were announced at a virtual ceremony held on the 17 February with schools tuning to watch via Scholastic’s Schools Live platform. The ceremony was hosted by presenter Katie Thistleton and prizes presented by Alesha Dixon, Stephen Mangan and Lollies judges Maaria Khan and Ceridwen Eccles, with a special performance by Michael Rosen and Simon James Green.

The shortlists in full:

Best Laugh Out Loud Picture Book:

101 Bums by Sam Harper and Chris Jevons

I’m NOT a MOUSE! by Evgenia Golubeva

Never Give a T-Rex a Book by Rashmi Sirdeshpande and Diane Ewen

Octopus Shocktopus! by Peter Bently and Steven Lenton

Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 6–8-year-olds:

Cats React to Science Facts by Izzi Howell

Sam Wu is NOT Afraid of the Dark by Katie and Kevin Tsang and Nathan Reed

Anisha, Accidental Detective: School’s Cancelled by Serena Patel and Emma McCann

Wigglesbottom Primary: Break-Time Bunnies by Pamela Butchart

Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 9–13-year-olds: