Oscar's Book Prize 2022: Winner Revealed!

Princess Beatrice reveals the winner of Oscar’s Book Prize 2022

London, UK, 18 May 2022: HRH Princess Beatrice announced the winner of this year’s Oscar’s Book Prize at an awards ceremony in central London yesterday evening. The award, supported by Amazon, the National Literacy Trust and the Evening Standard, crowned Maybe…, by the multi-talented author and illustrator Chris Haughton, as the winner, topping the shortlist of magical stories to take home the £10,000 literary prize.

Maybe…by Chris Haughton (Walker Books)

The Dublin-born author and illustrator has produced several much-loved children’s books in the last decade, including the best-selling A Bit Lost and Oh No, George!

Upon winning, Chris Haughton said: “It’s an honour to be chosen as the winner for this year’s Oscar’s Book Prize, and a privilege to be held in such high regard amongst a shortlist of incredible authors and illustrators, all of whom deserve the award as much as me. This is an award that celebrates and highlights the joy that comes from children’s stories, and one I shall cherish.”  

Photo courtesy of Tom Pilston

Maybe… (Walker Books) is a cautionary tale about three little monkeys and transports readers on a journey of vicarious mischief as boundaries are pushed and lessons are learned. Maybe is one of six books which were shortlisted for this year’s Prize, with the other’s including Barbara Throws a Wobbler by Nadia Shireen (Puffin, PRH Children's), The Pet: Cautionary Tales for Children and Grown-ups by Catherine Emmett and David Tazzyman (Macmillan Children's Books), The Duck Who Didn't Like Water by Steve Small (Simon & Schuster Children’s Books), The Fire Fox by Alexandra Page and Stef Murphy (Two Hoots, Macmillan Children’s Books) and I'm Sticking With You Too by Smriti Halls and Steve Small (Simon & Schuster Children’s Books).

Many of this year’s judging panel joined the award ceremony held at The Ivy Club in central London, including singer-songwriter, Sophie Ellis-Bextor alongside her mother and two-time author, Janet Ellis. The pair were joined by the former Children's Laureate and award-winning illustrator, Chris Riddell, rapper, actor, comedian and children’s author, Ben Bailey Smith (Doc Brown), Amazon’s UK Books Country Manager, Lisa De Meyer and the Prize co-founder, Viveka Alvestrand.

HRH Princess Beatrice said: “This year’s winning book is a stunning blend of imaginative storytelling with playful illustration. The amount of vibrancy expressed in the story - from characterization to humour - is also a stand-out example of how much power pictures - and relatively few words - have to convey a story. I’m proud to be a long-standing patron of Oscar’s Book Prize and have had the privilege of witnessing this award shine a light on so many amazing books over the years.”

Photo courtesy of Tom Pilston

The award, now in its ninth year, was set up by James Ashton and Viveka Alvestrand to celebrate magical stories and encourage parents to take time to share books with their young children. It is named in memory of their son Oscar, who was three-and-a-half when he died from an undiagnosed heart condition in December 2012.

James Ashton, the prize's chairman and co-founder, said: “Young children need bright and engaging stories to escape into and our judges felt Chris’s work enables that brilliantly. He is a worthy winner of our £10,000 prize and it has been great to celebrate his success at an in-person event once again.”

For more information about the prize and this year’s winning book, please visit www.oscarsbookprize.co.uk and to view the full shortlisted books on Amazon, please visit www.amazon.co.uk/obp22.

 

>ENDS<

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About Oscar’s Book Prize

Oscar’s Book Prize is an annual prize for the best under-fives book of the year. It champions magical storytelling by authors and illustrators, best shared between young children and their parents.

It is awarded in memory of book-loving Oscar Ashton, who died in 2012 of an undiagnosed heart condition aged three and a half. Founded by his parents and supported by Amazon, the Evening Standard and the National Literacy Trust, the Prize has been running since 2014.

For news and all other information please visit www.oscarsbookprize.co.uk, follow @oscarsbookprize on Instagram or Twitter, or find Oscar’s Book Prize on Facebook.

 

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