Six books are in the running for annual prize recognising the best in new books for under-fives, with a £5,000 prize.
A record number of entries were received for this year’s award, which is supported by Amazon and the National Literacy Trust
LONDON, May 4th, 2020 – The shortlist for Oscar’s Book Prize 2020 has today been revealed and, for the first time, six books are in the running for this year’s £5,000 award. The prize, which celebrates the best storytelling for children under five, received the highest number of entries in its seven-year history – 128 submissions from children’s writers and illustrators from across the UK.
The prize was created in honour of Oscar Ashton, who loved stories that fed his imagination. He was three and a half when he died from an undetected heart condition in 2012. The award is supported by Amazon and the National Literacy Trust.
This year’s winner was chosen by a judging panel comprising of Dermot O’Leary, the presenter and children’s author, Francesca Simon, creator of the Horrid Henry children’s books series, Jake Hope, Youth Group Libraries chair and Simon Johnson, Amazon Director of EU Books. Oscar’s parents Viveka Alvestrand and James Ashton complete the judging panel.
This year’s shortlisted books are:
A Mouse Called Julian by Joe Todd Stanton (Flying Eye Books)
James Ashton said: “Intricate illustrations of the natural world are a glorious backdrop to a story of enemies that become friends.”
Alphonse, There’s Mud on the Ceiling! by Daisy Hirst (Walker Books)
Jake Hope said: “A terrifically zany sense of energy and joyous abandon are created by the quirky, free-form illustration and hand-lettering. It is impossible not to feel captivated by the boundless creativity of Natalie and Alphonse which abounds through their imagination and play and is perfectly evoked both through text and illustration.”
I Am a Tiger by Karl Newson and Ross Collins (Macmillan)
Francesca Simon said: “This book made me laugh and laugh. I adored the swagger and confidence of the irrepressible mouse, and the glorious theme of not letting others tell you who or what you are. A surprising and unexpected story – I loved it.”
Tad by Benji Davies (HarperCollins)
Dermot O’Leary said: “A wonderful coming of age tale of adventure, and nature.”
The Runaway Pea by Kjartan Poskitt and Alex Willmore (Simon & Schuster)
Simon Johnson said: “The Runaway Pea was beautifully illustrated and made me (and my sons) laugh out loud. I particularly enjoyed the naughty fruit hiding under the fridge.”
The Suitcase by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros (Nosy Crow)
Viveka Alvestrand said: “This book touched my heart. It has a beautiful melancholy about it. The illustrations are wonderfully simple and emotive and – crucially – the sad beginning leads to a happy ending!”
The winner will be revealed on Monday, May 25th, on the Oscar’s Book Prize website, announced by the award’s patron, HRH Princess Beatrice, who has supported the award since 2017.
Speaking about his role on the judging panel, Dermot O’Leary said: “It was an honour to have the opportunity to read through such an incredible set of books this year. I encourage parents to use all six of our shortlist to read with their kids and unlock the magic of storytelling.”
Amazon Director of EU Books Simon Johnson said: “The quality of stories gets better and better each year, and I would like to congratulate each author. The shortlisted books share stories of positivity, togetherness and friendship, which are important messages to teach children at an early age.”
For more on the six shortlisted stories, go to amazon.co.uk/obp.
The winner will be announced on Monday, May 25th, 2020 at oscarsbookprize.co.uk
