Annual award given to a work of children's literature
Award
The Waterstones Children's Book Prize is an annual award given to a work of children's literature published during the previous year. First awarded in 2005, the purpose of the prize is "to uncover hidden talent in children's writing" and is therefore open only to authors who have published no more than two or three books, depending on which category they are in.[1] The prize is awarded by British book retailer Waterstones .
It was originally called the Ottakar's Children's Book Prize, after the bookshop chain. When all Ottakar's stores were rebranded as Waterstone's following the HMV Group takeover in 2006, the prize also changed its name to become the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize.
Beginning in 2012, the prize was divided into three categories: Picture Books, Fiction 5–12, and Teen.[2] Each category winner receives £2,000 with an overall winner chosen from the three getting an additional £3,000 (thus the overall winner receives £5,000 in total).[3]
In 2016 the categories were renamed: Picture Books became Illustrated Books, Fiction 5–12 became Younger Fiction and the Teen category became Older Fiction.
YouTube Encyclopedic
Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2022-2024
Nominations and winners
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Category
Author
Title
Result
Ref.
Best Book
Michelle Harrison
13 Treasures
Winner
Vanessa Curtis
Zelah Green Queen of Clean
Finalist
Marie-Louise Jensen
The Lady in the Tower
Rachel Ward
Numbers
Rob Stevens
Mapmaker's Monsters
Elen Caldecott
How Kirsty Jenkins Stole the Elephant
Ceci Jenkinson
Gnomes are Forever
Steve Feasey
Changeling
2010
Category
Author
Title
Result
Ref.
Best Book
Katie Davies
The Great Hamster Massacre
Winner
[5]
Jeremy De Quidt
The Toymaker
Finalist
[6]
Caro King
The Seven Sorcerers
Victoria Forester
The Girl Who Could Fly
Pat Walsh
The Crowfield Curse
A. G. Taylor
Meteorite Strike
Suzanne Lafleur
Love, Aubrey
Lucy Christopher
Flyaway
Laura Summers
Desperate Measures
2011
2012
2013
2014 (10th anniversary)
2015
2016
Category
Author
Title
Result
Ref.
OVERALL
David Solomon
My Brother is a Superhero
Winner
[23]
Illustrated Book
David Litchfield
The Bear and the Piano
Category winner
[23]
Naomi Howarth
The Crow's Tale
Finalist
[24]
Matty Long
Super Happy Magic Forest
Nicholas John Frith
Hector and Hummingbird
David Barrow
Have You Seen Elephant?
Lorraine Carey and Migy Blanco
Cinderella's Sister and the Big Bad Wolf
Older Fiction
Lisa Williamson
The Art of Being Normal
Category winner
[23]
Melinda Salisbury
The Sin Eater's Daughter
Finalist
[25] [24] [26]
Moïra Fowley-Doyle
The Accident Season
Lisa Heathfield
Seed
Jandy Nelson
I'll Give You the Sun
Leo Hunt
13 Days of Midnight
Younger Fiction
David Solomon
My Brother is a Superhero
Category winner
[23]
Sibéal Pounder
Witch Wars
Finalist
[24]
Katherine Woodfine
The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow
Kevin Sands
The Blackthorn Key
Shane Hegarty
Darkmouth
Crystal Chan
Bird
2017
2018
2019
2020
Category
Author
Title
Result
Ref.
OVERALL
Nathan Bryon
Look Up!
Winner
[33] [34] [35]
Illustrated Book
Nathan Bryon
Look Up!
Category winner
[36]
Graham Carter
Otto Blotter, Bird Spotter
Finalist
Kate Read
One Fox
Beatrice Blue
Once Upon a Unicorn Horn
Rose Robbins
Me and My Sister
Ben Rothery
Hidden Planet
Older Fiction
Liz Hyder
Bearmouth
Category winner
[36]
Emma Smith-Barton
The Million Pieces of Neena Gill
Finalist
Tamsin Winter
Jemima Small Versus the Universe
Samira Ahmed
Internment
gal-dem
I Will Not Be Erased: Our stories about growing up as people of colour
Holly Jackson
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
Younger Fiction
Sharna Jackson
High-Rise Mystery
Category winner
Kirsty Applebaum
The Middler
Finalist
Meg Grehan
The Deepest Breath
Lucy Strange
Our Castle, the Sea
Sam Copeland
Charlie Changes into a Chicken
Jasbinder Bilan
Asha and the Spirit Bird
2021
Category
Author
Title
Result
Ref.
OVERALL
Elle McNicoll
A Kind of Spark
Winner
[37] [38] [39]
Illustrated Book
Bethan Stevens
The Grumpy Fairies
Category winner
[37]
Eva Eland
Where Happiness Begins
Finalist
Katie Cottle
The Blue Giant
Amyra Leon
Freedom, We Sing
Devon Holzwarth
Found You
Dawn Coulter-Cruttenden
Bear Shaped
Older Fiction
Darren Charlton
Wranglestone
Category winner
[37]
Dean Atta
The Black Flamingo
Finalist
Jordan Ifueko
Raybearer
Sophie Gonzales
Only Mostly Devastated
A. M. Dassu
Boy, Everywhere
Danielle Jawando
And the Stars Were Burning Brightly
Younger Fiction
Elle McNicoll
A Kind of Spark
Category winner
[37] [38]
Kereen Getten
When Life Gives You Mangoes
Finalist
Jenny Pearson
The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates
Alastair Chisholm
Orion Lost
Annabelle Sami
Llama Out Loud!
Francesca Gibbons
A Clock of Stars: The Shadow Moth
2022
2023
Category
Author
Title
Publisher
Result
Ref.
OVERALL
Nadia Mikail
The Cats We Meet Along The Way
Guppy Publishing
Winner
[44]
Illustrated Book
Kim Hillyard
Gretel the Wonder Mammoth
PRH Children’s
Category winner
[44]
Georgia Buckthorn, illustrated by Isabella Mazzanti
The Fairy Garden
Ivy Kids
Finalist
[45] [46] [47]
Emma Carlisle
What Do You See When You Look At a Tree?
Big Picture Press
Rachael Davis, illustrated by Beatrix Hatcher
I am NOT a Prince
Hachette Children’s Group
Stephen Hogtun
The Station Cat
DK
Jordan Stephens, illustrated by Beth Suzanna
The Missing Piece
Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Older Fiction
Nadia Mikail
The Cats We Meet Along The Way
Guppy Publishing
Category winner
[44]
Erik J Brown
All That’s Left in the World
Hachette Children’s Group
Finalist
[45] [46] [47]
Lewis Hancox
Welcome to St Hell
Scholastic
Christine Pillainayagam
Ellie Pillai is Brown
Faber and Faber
Cynthia So
If You Still Recognise Me
Stripes Publishing
Angharad Walker
Once Upon a Fever
The Chicken House
Younger Fiction
M T Khan
Nura and the Immortal Palace
Walker Books
Category winner
[44]
David Farr
The Book of Stolen Dreams
Usborne Publishing
Finalist
[45] [46] [47]
Hannah Moffatt
Small!
Everything with Words
Lee Newbery
The Last Firefox
PRH Children’s
Varsha Shah
Ajay and the Mumbai Sun
The Chicken House
J T Williams, illustrated by Simone Douglas
The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger
Farshore
2024 (20th anniversary)
Category
Author
Title
Publisher
Result
Ref.
OVERALL
Pari Thomson
Greenwild: The World Behind the Door
Macmillan
Winner
[48]
Illustrated Book
Chloe Savage
The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish
Walker Books
Category winner
[48]
Marcela Ferreira, illustrated by Sally Agar
The Queen Next Door
Orchard Books
Finalist
[49] [50] [51]
Natalie Labarre
Incredible Jobs You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of
Nosy Crow
Ellan Rankin
The Secret Elephant
Wren & Rook
Kate Rolfe
Wolf and Bear
Two Hoots
Andrew Sanders, illustrated by Aysha Awwad
Whose Dog is This?
Macmillan
Older Fiction
Kayvion Lewis
Thieves’ Gambit
S&S
Category winner
[48]
Nick Brooks
Promise Boys
Macmillan
Finalist
[49] [50] [51]
Mel Darbon
What the World Doesn’t See
Usborne
Bea Fitzgerald
Girl, Goddess, Queen
Penguin
Ayaan Mohamud
You Think You Know Me
Usborne
Alexandra Sheppard
Friendship Never Ends
Knights Of
Younger Fiction
Pari Thomson
Greenwild: The World Behind the Door
Macmillan
Category winner
[48]
J J Arcanjo
Crookhaven: The School for Thieves
Hodder
Finalist
[49] [50] [51]
Emily-Jane Clark
The Beasts of Knobbly Bottom: Attack of the vampire sheep!
Scholastic
Lizzie Huxley-Jones
Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend
Knights Of
Beth Lincoln
The Swifts
Puffin
G M Linton
My Name is Sunshine Simpson
Usborne
See also
References
^ "Waterstones Children's Book Prize" . Writers & Artists. Retrieved 11 August 2023 .
^ Michelle Pauli (8 February 2012). "Gritty teen reads dominate Waterstones children's prize shortlist" . The Guardian . Retrieved 15 October 2014 .
^ Robert Dux (29 March 2012). "Jonny Duddle's 'The Pirates Next Door' wins Waterstone's Children's Book Prize" . The Independent . Retrieved 22 September 2012 .
^ https://www.westerncape.gov.za/text/2006/5/ma_06_literary.pdf
^ Pauli, Michelle (10 February 2010). "Great Hamster Massacre wins Waterstone's children's books prize" . The Guardian . ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ Flood, Alison (14 January 2010). "Mother inspired to write by disabled daughter makes Waterstone's prize shortlist" . The Guardian . ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ Stanley, Kelli (11 February 2011). "Awards: Colby Winner; Waterstone's Children's Book; Sami Rohr" . Shelf Awareness . Retrieved 12 February 2022 .
^ Chua, Amy (14 January 2011). "Awards: Langum Winners; Waterstone's Children's Book Shortlist" . www.shelf-awareness.com . Retrieved 12 February 2022 .
^ a b c d de, Robert (29 March 2012). "Jonny Duddle's 'The Pirates Next Door' wins Waterstone's Children's" . The Independent . Retrieved 12 February 2022 .
^ "Jonny Duddle wins Waterstones Children's Book Prize" . BBC News . 28 March 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ "Mackenzie Crook up for book award" . BBC News . 8 February 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ "Beavis and Butt-head writer shortlisted for Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2013" . www.telegraph.co.uk . Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ "Beavis and Butt-Head writer up for children's book award" . The Independent . 14 February 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ Drabble, Emily (3 April 2014). "Katherine Rundell wins the Waterstones children's book prize 2014" . The Guardian . ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ "Katherine Rundell wins Waterstones Children's Book Prize" . BBC News . 3 April 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ "Tightrope-walking Oxford fellow wins Waterstones Children's Prize" . www.telegraph.co.uk . Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ a b c Green, Charles (13 February 2014). "Discover the 2014 Waterstones children's book prize shortlist" . The Guardian . ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ "Dawn O'Porter up for Children's book prize" . BBC News . 13 February 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ McAloon, Jonathan (26 March 2015). "Picture book wins 2015 Waterstones Children's Book Prize" . Telegraph . Retrieved 22 March 2019 .
^ Drabble, Emily (26 March 2015). "Rob Biddulph wins Waterstones children's book prize 2015 with debut Blown Away" . The Guardian . ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ "Penguin book picks up children's book prize" . BBC News . 27 March 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ a b c "Waterstones children's book prize 2015 – shortlist announced!" . The Guardian . 12 February 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2019 .
^ a b c d "David Solomons wins Waterstones Children's Book Prize with debut" . BBC News . 17 March 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2022 .
^ a b c Pauli, Michelle (11 February 2016). "Waterstones children's book prize 2016 shortlists - in pictures" . the Guardian . ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ Chilton, Martin (11 February 2016). "Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2016 shortlist" . The Telegraph . ISSN 0307-1235 . Retrieved 12 February 2022 .
^ "LGBT storylines have made it onto Waterstones Prize youth fiction shortlist" . The Independent . 11 February 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ a b Kean, Danuta (30 March 2017). "Waterstones children's book prize goes to 'mesmerising' debut adventure story" . The Guardian . Retrieved 12 February 2022 .
^ a b c Kean, Danuta (8 February 2017). "Waterstones children's prize shortlists reflect readers' search for hope in anxious times" . The Guardian . Retrieved 12 February 2022 .
^ "Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2018" . Waterstones . Retrieved 12 February 2022 .
^ a b c " 'Upbeat' refugee tale wins children's book prize" . BBC News . 21 March 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2022 .
^ Cain, Sian (22 March 2018). "Black Lives Matter novel wins Waterstones children's book of the year" . The Guardian . ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ a b c Muxworthy, Catherine (9 February 2019). "Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2019 - Shortlist" . For Reading Addicts . Retrieved 12 February 2022 .
^ Flood, Alison (29 July 2020). " 'Utterly joyful' Look Up! wins Waterstones children's book of the year" . The Guardian . ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ Hampson, Laura (30 July 2020). "Winner of Waterstones Children's Book Prize is a timely tale" . Evening Standard . Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ "Benidorm star's 'joyful' story wins children's book prize" . BBC News . 30 July 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ a b Green, Alex (29 July 2020). "Waterstones Children's Book Prize winner revealed" . Yahoo! News . Retrieved 12 February 2022 .
^ a b c d " 'A Kind of Spark' wins Waterstones Children's Book Prize" . Books+Publishing . 2 July 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2022 .
^ a b Jin, Ha (2 July 2021). "Awards: Waterstones Children's Book Winners" . Shelf Awareness . Retrieved 12 February 2022 .
^ "Waterstones Children's Book Prize winner announced as A Kind of Spark" . BBC Newsround . 2 July 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ "Gold wins Waterstones Children's Book Prize with debut The Last Bear" . The Bookseller . Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ a b c "Debut novelist named winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize" . www.expressandstar.com . 31 March 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ a b c "Waterstones Children's Book Prize shortlists announced" . Books+Publishing . 11 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022 .
^ a b c Sherwin, Adam (10 February 2022). "Waterstones Children's Book Prize shortlist shows TikTok influencers driving sales surge" . inews.co.uk . Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ a b c d Shaffi, Sarah (21 March 2023). "Apocalyptic road trip story wins the Waterstones children's book prize" . The Guardian . ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 27 May 2023 .
^ a b c Brown, Lauren (9 February 2023). "Walker and Newbery among shortlistees for Waterstones Children's Book Prize" . The Bookseller . Retrieved 27 May 2023 .
^ a b c "Waterstones Children's Book Prize shortlists announced | Books+Publishing" . Retrieved 27 May 2023 .
^ a b c Evans, Connie (9 February 2023). "Titles incorporating mental health lead shortlist for Children's Book Prize" . The Independent . Retrieved 28 May 2023 .
^ a b c d Creamer, Ella (21 March 2024). "Botanical fairytale set in Kew Gardens wins the Waterstones children's book prize" . The Guardian . ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 21 March 2024 .
^ a b c "Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2024: Shortlist announced" . BBC Newsround . 9 February 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2024 .
^ a b c "Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2024 shortlists announced | Books+Publishing" . Retrieved 21 March 2024 .
^ a b c Spanoudi, Melina (8 February 2024). "Bea Fitzgerald and Pari Thomson shortlisted for £5k Waterstones Children's Book Prize" . The Bookseller . Retrieved 21 March 2024 .
External links
This page was last edited on 22 March 2024, at 00:08