A story about the friendship between a poem-writing lion who doesn’t want to conform to stereotype and his brave duck friend has been named the sixth winner of Oscar’s Book Prize.
How To Be A Lion by Ed Vere has been named the winner of Oscar’s Book Prize 2019.
Vere received the £5,000 award for his book that the jury said “does not preach nor resort to sentimentality but yet a very clear point is made about how it is possible to deal with those who wish to bully and intimidate”.
Lauren Child, Children’s Laureate and author behind the Charlie and Lola and Clarice Bean series, who was a judge of this year’s prize, said: “Ed Vere understands how to pace a story, tell it beautifully, make an important point about being true to yourself and loyal to your friends.”
The award is named after Oscar Ashton who died from an undetected heart condition in 2012 at the age of three and a half. It is supported by Amazon, the Evening Standard and the National Literacy Trust and aims to promote books that parents will love reading with young children.
Child was joined on this year’s judging panel by campaigner for women and children’s health Sarah Brown, and Brigitte Ricou-Bellan, UK director of books at Amazon. As in other years, Oscar’s parents Viveka Alvestrand and James Ashton were also judges.
Oscar’s Book Prize 2019 was awarded by HRH Princess Beatrice, royal patron of the prize, during a ceremony at the May Fair Hotel in London.
Children’s Laureate Lauren Child; 2019 winner of Oscar’s Book Prize, Ed Vere, and Oscar’s Book Prize Royal Patron, HRH Princess Beatrice. Photography: Nigel Howard Media
Dream judge: Children’s Laureate Lauren Child, who was a judge for the 2019 Oscar’s Book Prize, speaking at the awards ceremony at the May Fair Hotel. Photography: Nigel Howard Media
Children’s Laureate and 2019 Oscar’s Book Prize judge Lauren Child; James Ashton, Founder of Oscar’s Book Prize, and HRH Princess Beatrice. Photography: Nigel Howard Media.
Ed Vere, writer and illustrator of How To Be a Lion, winner of the 2019 Oscar’s Book Prize.
How To Be a Lion by Ed Vere, winner of Oscar’s Book Prize 2019