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Every year CLPE kindly produce a set of free learning resources around our shortlisted books. These teaching notes are a great way for teachers and children to dive into the stories, learn a little more about the characters and enhance their understanding and enjoyment of the books. This year, Anjali Patel, their Lead Advisory Teacher has agreed to tell us more about the fascinating processes that go on behind the scenes at CLPE.

About Anjali Patel
An experienced senior leader, Anjali has taught children throughout the primary age range. She has been an Assistant Headteacher, led the KS1 phase and the EYFS as Head of 0-5s, been the leading teacher for mathematics and developed the role of teaching assistants. Anjali has worked for a Local Authority as language and literacy consultant. Anjali writes regularly for Teachwire and BBC Bitesize, sharing good practice in early years literacy. Anjali leads CLLPE’s teaching team and, as well as teaching throughout our programme, is responsible for the development and delivery of our Early Years work.

Here’s Anjali’s Q&A

Anjali, you’re the Lead Advisory Teacher – please could you start by telling us a little bit about your role, and how you came to work for CLPE?

In my many years as a teacher, school leader and advisory teacher I drew on the research and resources produced by CLPE and worked really hard to hone the craft of teaching to provide my pupils with the best possible experiences and outcomes. I realised that I wanted to share this practice and provision more widely and really enjoyed working alongside teaching teams in this respect. Working now with my CLPE teaching team to support the delivery and development of evidence-based research, training and teaching materials for so many schools is a great honour.

 

As we mentioned above, CLPE creates wonderful resources for our shortlist each year. However, this is only a fraction of what you do: training, research, booklists - and of course an abundance of all different kinds of free resources. Please could you tell us some more about the breadth of CLPE’s work and projects?

Honestly, when we take a step back to look at the wealth of materials we offer schools and teachers, it’s quite wonderful. Schools and teachers can engage with us in all sorts of ways from tentative visits and downloads on our website to committing to whole staff training and consultancy to develop a quality and cohesive English curriculum.

• We have always created resources that we make freely available because we feel strongly that everyone should have access no matter the school budget. We feel that this forms part of our charitable purpose and vision; that all children should have access to quality literature, to quality first teaching and quality English provision and our teaching notes, booklists, support teachers to gain knowledge of how to choose and use quality texts in creative ways. The overwhelming success of our recent free Back to School unit, based on Oliver Jeffers’ book Here We Are Notes for Living on Planet Earth was testament to how much teachers really want to support children to engage in reading for pleasure and to rebuild their relationships with each other and with the world around them. We can’t wait to launch our next one for this coming Autumn with the campaign Growing our Future Together.

• Many teachers are signed up to our Core Book List in which they can view up-to-date lists of recommended books for all Key Stages. We also have themed booklists which are really useful and a big hit is the Staff Picks in which we look back over the year and share our favourite titles.

• CLPE’s Reading and Writing Scales are also free to download. They have been developed in collaboration with all major UK literacy organisations and they are invaluable in understanding the reading and writing journey and how to support progress from the earliest most dependent stage to the most mature independent stage at the end of Primary School.

• They say that necessity is the mother of all invention and never was this truer than in the past year or so. We have always enjoyed being able to deliver training face-to-face at our centre in London, across the UK and even in Europe but the Pandemic put a stop to that, for the time being at least. In response, we built a fantastic webinar programme which enables teachers to access our quality training programme in affordable and time-efficient ways from wherever they are in the world. This might be an introduction to our proven teaching approaches in building a text-based curriculum to supporting progression in phonics, reading and writing, as well as specialist training based on our research on supporting pupils with English as an Additional Language, using Poetry, Picturebooks, Non-fiction in the classroom and those texts that Reflect the Realities of the children we teach. We can now even deliver our INSET training to schools virtually meaning we can reach so many more teachers and make a difference to more children. We are gradually introducing our face-to-face training in and around the centre which is a joy but now there is much greater choice of long and short courses for schools to engage with CLPE which is fantastic.

• As well as accessing free teaching notes associated with books that are shortlisted for prizes or that are newly published, schools can become CLPE members which enables them to access our Power of Reading teaching plans, English Curriculum Maps and connect with other schools who are raising engagement and attainment by building communities of readers and writers through a text-based curriculum. It’s such good value for money and the training programme really deepens teachers understanding of the teaching approaches and the impact they have on children’s literacy outcomes. 

• Our latest publication The Power of a Rich Reading Classroom (SAGE 2020) brings our research together in one handy book, full of really practical ideas to develop English across your school.

• If you want to know more about what we do and to keep up to date with how you can join the wonderful CLPE community, the best thing to do is sign up to our Newsletter.

 

Perhaps a shorthand way to best describe the work that CLPE do is to share your vision: ‘putting quality children’s literature at the heart of all learning’. In what ways does CLPE set out to achieve this?

Quality children’s literature is central to every single resource, training session and piece of research that we produce; whether that be keeping you up to date with the best and the most recent books out there; creating expertly written teaching plans associated with those books, giving books away on courses so that teachers can implement ideas back in the classroom immediately; or demonstrating the impact of choosing and using quality children’s literature to support a text-based English curriculum on our children. When we are in the centre, our library of children’s literature is literally at the heart of the building. It’s a wonderful thing to see teachers and children browse the collections – there’s a book out there for everyone!

 

As well as the theoretical commitment to children’s literacy you have a physical one – your Literacy Library is a physical home to a whopping 23,000 books and resources. It sounds like our kind of place! Please could you tell us a little more about it?

Oh, it’s an utterly beautiful space. I can’t believe that I get to be surrounded by so many fabulous books; all hand-picked by our librarian and teaching team. We really try to make sure that the books chosen reflect the lives of our children as well as offering insights in to worlds beyond their reach. The language in these books sing out from the shelves and the illustrations demand to be pored over. My favourite part though is the corridor which houses our archive collections of poetry and traditional and fairy tales. It feeds my soul. We can’t wait to open up our doors again so the books can take on new life in the hands of our teachers!

 

As we *might* have mentioned, you create teaching notes for us – and also for some other amazing prizes – among them Klaus Flugge, Carnegie Greenaway and the Branford Boase. What makes a great teaching resource?

When we write a teaching plan, we always imagine the children that will benefit from it being delivered in the classroom. A great plan allows responses to be drawn out and deepened in open, collaborative and creative ways, in a way that gets to the heart of the book and its human theme. 

 

What are the ways that prizes can really help with literacy?

Prizes are a great way to highlight some of the fantastic new books out there, keeping busy teachers up to date and supporting their knowledge of children’s literature so that they can make informed choices for their own children and contexts.

 

What sort of feedback do you get from schools and teachers about the free resources such as OBP’s?

Teachers find the free resources really helpful in enhancing daily book sharing experiences, in using texts effectively to support the wider curriculum and many use them as a way to familiarise themselves with our approaches. They have been particularly useful in maintaining engagement during periods of remote education.

 

Like us, CLPE believes that a love for books and reading could and should be nurtured from a young age, and as such picture books are invaluable. What tips would you offer to parents of under 5s as preparation for literacy in primary school? And for those children already in school, what’s the best way to support their literacy learning?

Funnily enough, I wrote a useful article about this for BBC Bitesize: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z6bt7nb

However, in a nutshell, the best thing a parent can do is to talk and to listen – about anything and everything. And share books of all kinds, particularly as part of the bedtime reading routine. Reading exposes children to language models that they wouldn’t encounter in real world conversations as well as giving them access to worlds beyond their own. Most importantly though, have fun with books and with language. We know from our recent research that teachers have gone out of their way to put books in the hands of children and families during Lockdown, so join a library and, if that isn’t available, make sure you take advantage of nursery and school lending systems.

What do you think are the best things a picture book can have, in order to draw children in and make brilliant stories even more accessible and engaging?

Picturebooks are an important genre of children’s literature and not just a step on the route to chapter books. They support the development of sophisticated reading skills, enabling children to develop deep comprehension skills and to learn about narrative structure and character development in an accessible way. A well-crafted picturebook will demand to be pored over and revisited time and again, inviting children to explore the meaning being created by the illustration and layout as well as in the text.

 

And lastly, on a personal note, what’s the best thing about working for CLPE?

A wonderful headteacher I worked for once told me that we must be sure to know the names not only of our pupils but of their parents and I stand by the importance of building strong connections with children and their families even now. Instead of thinking of the impact I can make to pupils in just my own school, I hope that in providing quality teacher training and resources, I can influence classroom experiences and outcomes more widely for children across many schools and settings. That, and the fact that we at CLPE never stop learning and thinking and creating, which is all you can ask for really. I get to work for an organisation that stands for everything I believe in and feel passionate about; the entitlement to be literate.

Meet Our 2021 Shortlist: The Littlest Yak

Our penultimate shortlistee is The Littlest Yak by Lu Fraser and Kate Hindley (Simon & Schuster Children’s Books) so let’s get to it and learn more about Lu, Kate and little Gertie in our fourth spotlight on the 2021 shortlisted authors.

About the Book

The Littlest Yak is a story about being confident about exactly who you are. Teaching little ones to celebrate their own unique talents, The Littlest Yak follows the journey of Gertie, the tiniest tot in her whole herd. Gertie is bursting to grow big but soon learns there are things only she can do and it’s precisely her size that makes her such a big character. A heart-warming and uplifting story sure to make kids feel more comfortable in their own unique shoes.

What the Judges said:

“This book is full of beautiful illustrations and deceptive simplicity. It's about worries too, so if you had a child who felt a little bit different or who felt they didn't fit in you could use it in a lovely, positive way.” – Lorraine Kelly

About Lu Fraser

Lu Fraser is a hugely exciting new voice in children’s picture books. She is based in Hampshire, where she lives with her husband and daughter, and writes in a shed in the garden. The Littlest Yak is her picture book debut.

Lu Q&A:

What was your own favourite picture book as a child?

The funny thing is…I didn’t really have any picture books when I was little! I had a ‘rag’ book that I loved and, later on, a few Blackberry Farm books by Jane Pilgrim – wonderfully illustrated but with significantly more text than the picture books we have today. We didn’t go to the library and I didn’t go to school until I was a little bit older than everyone else so the picture books of that era slipped by without me knowing them! The first time I saw a picture book I must have been about 8 – we had a visitor to stay from the USA and they showed me ‘In the Night Kitchen’ by Sendak. I had absolutely no idea that books could look like that!

What do you think the best thing about picture books is?

Giving a child a picture book is the equivalent of flinging open the door and showing them the wider world – it’s the most incredible, significant, powerful thing. Not only do you get to introduce them to all sorts of amazing wonders (like Yaks, for example!) but you can really kick-start the imaginative process, too, and, of course, a picture book is the very first step on the road to reading and learning. What I really love about picture books, ‘though, is what happens in the physical act of reading them – a grown up and a child taking time-out, together, to sit side by side, and lose themselves in an adventure. It’s nothing less than magic, frankly - it makes the sort of memories we treasure for a lifetime.

What was your favourite thing about writing the book? 

That’s easy – meeting Gertie! For me, creating a character is exactly the same as meeting a ‘real’ person for the first time; you shake hands, take a good look at each other, maybe have a cup of tea and a chat. Little by little, they show you who they are. It’s the most terrific part of the whole process! Now, Gertie is a part of our family – we can hear her voice, we know her quirky way of thinking and all her mannerisms. When I write it feels a bit like she’s sat on my desk with her little hooves sticking out, peering over my shoulder, munching her veggies and dropping crumbs everywhere. I will never be without her now!

What’s the best thing about this book?

The best thing about The Littlest Yak is, without doubt, the one thing I never expected – how readers have reacted to it. I was completely unprepared for how both children and grown-ups, alike, have taken Gertie into their hearts. I get a lot of messages from readers about the book and so many of them are about very personal moments where Gertie has made a difference in some significant way. One of my favourites was the little girl who was nervous on her first day at nursery but told her Mummy it was all going to be ok because she knew she had ‘BIGNESS inside’, just like Gertie.

What was your inspiration for the story/character?

Although Gertie isn’t based on my daughter she was created as a direct result of her. We were sat on a delayed flight to Edinburgh one dismal, rain-sodden October and yet the thought suddenly struck me that the moment was oddly perfect – here I was, taking some time-out, a whole week with my daughter ahead of me, and I never, ever wanted that moment to stop. At the same time I could see, not only how much she had grown but also how much she wanted to grow – to get out into the world and really DO things. It was the strangest moment of balance – both happy and sad. By the time the plane took off the story was done…

What are you working on next?

Oh, I’m hugely excited by the books I’m working on with Simon & Schuster! My next book with them is out in Spring ’22 with an incredible new illustrative partner (watch this space!) and I’m deliriously happy to say that I’m also working with the brilliant Kate Hindley on a follow-up to The Littlest Yak! I am just in the final edits on GERTIE – BOOK TWO (I promise I will come up with a better title before publication!).

And finally, what do you think has been the best thing about reading with small children during the lockdown?

Looking at social media it feels like there’s been a definite increase in ‘family’ reading time and I think we’ve become very imaginative in the way we approach it, too. I’ve seen such lovely photos and videos of a huge range of family members reading stories – grandparents reading remotely to grandchildren they can’t visit, etc – and there have been some tremendous reading resources to support families from publishers, booksellers, educational supporters and organisations like The National Literacy Trust – families have really got involved, together, as a result. On a personal note, I’m completely in awe of the illustrators and their phenomenal online draw-alongs and activities – I’ve had a go at some of their drawing classes with one of my Goddaughters (she was much better than me!).

I also think, pre-lockdown, we sometimes have a tendency to gravitate towards the ‘easy’ or the obvious when we visit a bookshop with children and one of the things that has been wonderful to see in these terrible times is how lockdown has pushed us to dig a little deeper in the bookshelves, to have a really good rummage all the way from A to Z and discover new writers and illustrators, to try out new things, to be a bit bolder and braver (I know I’ve discovered some brilliant new authors / illustrators, too!).

About Kate Hindley

Kate Hindley is the much-loved illustrator of both picture books (including the award-winning You Must Bring a Hat, written by Simon Philip) and fiction (The Royal Rabbits of London, written by Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore), as well as the author-illustrator of new board book series, Treacle Street. She lives in Bristol.

Kate Q&A:

What was your own favourite picture book as a child?

One of my favourite picture books as a child (and of all time) is Colin McNaughton's You'll Never Guess Who's Just Moved In Next Door To Us. So many stories on every page and a MONSTER gatefold! 

What do you think the best thing about picture books is?

My favourite thing about picture books is sharing a story. It's amazing how even some of the most simple stories will get a different reaction and raise new questions depending on who you share it with. It can make things very fun and unpredictable reading at schools and events! 

What was your favourite thing about drawing the book?

I really like all the doodling at the very beginning when it feels like there are endless possibilities, and getting to know the characters for the first time. 

What’s the best thing about this book?

The best thing about The Littlest Yak is Lu's amazing read-out-loud rhyme (and the perfect excuse for me to draw lots of woolly knitwear.) 

What was your inspiration for the story/character? 

The Himalayas! I'm not much of a traveller (I'm lucky if i get as far as the supermarket) but from what I've seen in pictures it's a pretty impressive landscape.

What are you working on next?

I'm currently taking a break to look after our new small addition, but I'm looking forward to some very exciting secret projects when I return to work in the summer.

And finally, what do you think has been the best thing about reading with small children during the lockdown?

I've had the pleasure of sharing picture books with our new small since the second lockdown, and I have to say I think at the moment it's been mostly for my own benefit! I have a smashing time over egging it all and he is being a lovely, obliging little audience.

Meet Our 2021 Shortlist: Rain Before Rainbows

It’s time for our fourth book on the shortlist: Rain Before Rainbows by Smriti Halls and David Litchfield, published by Walker Books.

It’s Smriti’s second book on the shortlist this year, and excitingly she has generously given us a second set of answers, along with David, to our Q&A below.

Please read on to find out all about this incredible book and its wonderful characters- not to mention a wealth of insight from its talented writer and illustrator - including which books transported them to magical worlds as children, capturing the truth, and letting imaginations run wild!

About the book:

A girl and her companion fox travel together from a place of loss and despair, through uncertain times, towards the hope of colour, light and life. Along the way, they find friends to guide and support them. Together, they build a glorious future and discover there is a way out of the darkness, into the light of the rainbow. A book with immense hope at its heart, this is a positive message for anyone who’s ever gone through a tough time – and an uplifting, stunning beautiful book about optimism in the darkest of places.

What the Judges said: “Every spread in this book provides its own fairytale, which complements the feeling of hope that radiates from every page. I loved it.” – Viveka Alvestrand

About Smriti:

 Smriti Halls is an award-winning, internationally bestselling children’s author whose books include the No. 1 bestseller I Love You Night and Day, T-Veg and Don't Call Me Sweet. She is published in over 30 languages. Her stories, sometimes fast-paced and funny, sometimes lyrical and tender, are always full of heart and speak to the child in all of us. Previously Smriti worked at the BBC and across children’s publishing and television as a writer and commissioning editor for twelve years. She lives in London with her husband and three sons. Find her online www.smriti.co.uk and follow her on Instagram as @smriti_halls_author and on Twitter @SmritiPH.

 

About Daivd:

David Litchfield first started to draw when he was very young, creating Star Wars and Indiana Jones ‘mash up’ comics for his older brother and sister. Since then David’s work has appeared in magazines, newspapers, books and on T-shirts. David’s first author/illustrator picture book The Bear & The Piano won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2016. He has also illustrated picture books for authors such as Ross Montgomery, Andy Stanton and Sally Lloyd-Jones, as well as book covers for David Almond, Kate Dicamillo, Neil Patrick Harris and many more. David lives with his family in Bedford, England. Find him online at www.davidlitchfieldillustration.com and follow him on Twitter at @dc_litchfield.

 

And now please read on for Smriti and David’s brilliant answers to our Q&A - cvoering everything from Maurice Sendak and Hans Christian Andersen to the importance of hope.

 What was your own favourite picture book as a child?

 David: I remember our teacher reading us 'Where The Wild Things Are' by Maurice Sendak and I was instantly in awe of the drawings. The world and characters that Mr Sendak created transported me from our classroom and little town into a brand new realm of imagination and possibilities. As soon as I got home that day I bugged my mum to buy a copy and I still have the version she bought today (although its pages are now stuck together with sellotape). 

 Smriti: One of my favourites was a Hans Christian Andersen treasury that I still love today. Lavishly illustrated by Maria Pascual, I’d gaze into the eyes of the magnificent snow queen, the steadfast tin soldier and the wistful little mermaid and be captivated. The tales were unexpected and often laced with a sense of longing and beauty that moved me.

 

What do you think the best thing about picture books is?

David: There is no other medium like it. The visual nature of telling a story and the relationship between the words and the image is very unique. I think that you read the images just as much as the words and I very much love that about picture books. 

 Smriti: I love the layers of meaning and complexity that are often buried in something that on the surface appears so simple. And it’s wonderful the way that great picture books continue to reveal truth and impact the reader in new ways, on different readings, time and time again.

 

What was your favourite thing about drawing the book?

David: I was given so much freedom to just let my imagination run wild with the illustrations. Smriti's beautiful text sparked so many ideas and emotions in me and I tried to visualise these as best I can. I was also able to experiment a lot with textures and colour with this book and try lots of new things with my artwork. I feel that I definitely grew as an artist from drawing this book.

What was your favourite thing about writing the book?

 Smriti: My favourite thing was trying to capture a truth that felt entirely universal. I wanted to express this in a way that could apply to a multitude of different circumstances – from small hurts to heartbreak – in a language that would be meaningful to both adult and child readers at once. I felt I was writing something that I’d carried in my head and heart for a long time and conveying those thoughts in careful, tender, hope-filled words was what I loved most.

 

What’s the best thing about this book?

David: I really love how the book can be open to interpretation. Even though there are clues we never really discover what problems the girl and the fox are aiming to overcome but readers can identify with them and see their own struggles in them. 

Smriti: I think the best thing about the book is that a sense of hope breathes through each page. Through the words and pictures, it balances the light and the dark of our lives and reminds us that although dark days are a part of every human story… so too is love and friendship and joy, so too is light and colour and life. There may be rain… but there are rainbows.

credit: Andrew Foster

What was your inspiration for the story/character?

David: I was very much thinking about the struggles faced by refugees when I was drawing this book. The journeys a lot of families and individuals have to face to get to safety and a better life. As I said the book is very much open to interpretation but that’s definitely what I had in my mind when I was drawing it. For me Fox character represented hope. When things were at their darkest the fox was a beacon of light and colour that reminded the girl of where it was she was hoping to get to at the end of her journey. 

 Smriti: A friend once cheered me up by reminding me that after the rain comes the rainbow. The words “rain before rainbows…” formed in my mind and over the following months the poem began to take shape while I was walking, thinking, dreaming. I began to see a story of loss and hope and restoration unfold. A story that could speak to both personal and collective experience. I feel so lucky that David was able to bring that story to life so stunningly. 

 

What are you working on next?

David: This year I'm chuffed to be working with a number of different authors. I'm just finishing artwork for a new book by Gregory Maguire which is very exciting. I'm also collaborating again with Stacy McAnulty and David Almond which is always a brilliant experience as well as working with the very talented Nell Cross Beckerman. And then towards the end of the year I'm starting work on my own author/illustrator book which will be a Christmas story. So it's all go really :) 

 Smriti: I’ve got several new stories and ideas in progress and I can’t wait until I’m able to share them with everyone. New books out soon include a brand new Bear and Squirrel sequel with Steve Small called I’m Sticking With You Too, which I’m hugely excited about, as well as collaborations with other wonderful illustrators, some established and some new. There are also some super fun novelty books on the way, to get the very youngest children loving books.

And finally, what do you think has been the best thing about reading with small children during the lockdown?

David: It's been really good for both them and us to remind ourselves that there will be life outside of lockdown and things will start to get back to normal soon. Stories have always had a great power to transport you out of the 4 walls that you find yourself in and I think that that has been even more important this past year.

  Smriti: For me the best thing about reading with my family has been about feeling connected with each other and sharing special moments. It has also provided a way of thinking and talking about the wider world at a time when we haven’t been able to venture far from our front doors. Reading together has sparked conversations, brought joy… and provided us ALL (tweens and teens included) with a whole lot of laughter.

Meet our 2021 Shortlist: Would You Like A Banana? by Yasmeen Ismail

We’re midway through our #OBP21 shortlist, so clearly it’s high time we discussed a hangry gorilla!

Would You Like A Banana? is written and illustrated by the incredibly talented Yasmeen Ismail, and published by Walker Books.

Please read on to discover everything you need to know about this brilliantly funny book and its creator - including what makes a picture book magic, and who she might have based that cheeky gorilla on…

About the book:

Gorilla is hungry but there is absolutely no way he’s going to eat a banana. Not even a teeny taste. Not with some bread or standing on his head. Even if you eat one too, which is something you might do.

This is a brilliant and hilarious picture book from award-winning illustrator Yasmeen Ismail, full of vivid and lively drawings which bring to life - and will have everyone laughing at - this all-too familiar family situation!

What the Judges Said:

“This book is full of wonderful pictures with a very funny story. It was completely gripping to read with my children.” – Simon Johnson

Photo copyright Jake Green

About Yasmeen:

Yasmeen Ismail is an award-winning illustrator and animator who has a love of inks, paints and watercolours. Her debut picture book Time for Bed, Fred! won The New York Times' Best Illustrated Book Award and the V&A Best Illustrated Book Award, and was longlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal. Her previous books for Walker include Kiki & Bobo's Birthday Surprise and Kiki & Bobo's Sunny Day. Yasmeen is originally from Ireland, but now lives in Bristol.

And finally - here are the answers Yasmeen has kindly given to our questions. Read on to discover what she thinks are the best things about picture books, which picture book has stayed with her since she was little, and the utterly gorgeous creation she is working on right now! Thanks so much, Yasmeen!

What was your own favourite picture book as a child?

I really don’t have a great recollection of books as a kid. I know that I was a voracious reader, but the only book that really stayed with me was Burglar Bill by Janet and Allen Ahlberg. I am a huge fan of their work and this book remains my favourite to date.

What do you think the best thing about picture books is?

This is a tough one. Initially I thought “the pictures!”, but then a picture book with great images is let down if the story is rubbish or poorly written. So I can’t pick a best thing. For me the best thing about a picture book is when the story and picture marry well. When the two things work together and bounce off each other. The best thing about a picture book is when the picture book works well at both story and image. That’s a real joy to behold and one that gets the reader returning time and again. That’s when it’s really magic.

What’s the best thing about this book?

My book???

Well it’s not really for me to say!

But if I had to pick, it would be the illustration with the Gorilla’s bum. I’m quite puerile. Bums get me laughing.

 What was your inspiration for the story/character?

My son was a toddler when I wrote the story, and I noticed how every day would seem like ‘opposite day’ with him. I could never tell him what to do or ask him to try something, he was (and still is) very child-led. So the Gorilla is like him. It’s frustrating to be a parent and to be offering solutions that are essentially fair and lovely, only for them to be rejected, but eventually I discovered that the best thing to do was to allow him to come to his own conclusions. And when he did he usually made good choices. 

 Do you prefer writing or drawing?

Drawing has always been my first love. So I would have to say that. Creating images gives me so much joy. However, writing is relatively new to me and I am really loving that. If I had to choose one for the rest of my life I would choose drawing, but that would be a sad choice to make indeed. 

 What are you working on next?

I am now working on baby 2. She arrived in December and all my focus is on her until 2022. Currently I am trying to get her to sleep. It’s harder work than making books. 

After that I will be working on more picture books for more publishers, and long may it last.

And finally, what do you think has been the best thing about reading with small children during the lockdown?

It kills some time. You’re not sticking them in front of a screen again. And hopefully they will learn something. I am pretty down on lockdown. I can’t get more positive than that.

Meet our 2021 Shortlist: I'm Sticking With You by Smriti Halls and Steve Small

Hurrah - it’s time to explore another book from our #OBP21 shortlist! Today we are looking at I’m Sticking With You by Smriti Halls and Steve Small, published by Simon & Schuster Children’s Books. To celebrate this fantastic book we have a brilliant Q&A from both of its creators, and a fantastic doodle from Steve. In fact, here that is, now!

About the Book:

Wherever you're going, I'm going too.
Whatever you're doing, I'm sticking with you.

It's wonderful to have good friends to see you through the good times and the bad. But sometimes, friends can also be a bit . . . well . . . overbearing. Through stunning illustrations and rhyming text, I'm Sticking With You explains the complexities of relationships and how sometimes even the best of friends can have a sticky moment!

This is a gorgeously funny, feel-good book about everything a friendship can be from best-selling Smriti Halls and BAFTA award nominated director and debut illustrator Steve Small.

What the Judges Said "The clarity and simplicity of the design and illustration is very striking, yet the pictures are emotional and funny. Similarly the writing is brilliantly simple but gripping. I enjoyed the tension between text and illustrations - it's a perfectly balanced picture book." - Axel Scheffler

About Smriti:

Smriti Halls is the international bestselling author of over 30 books for children. Before becoming a full time writer in 2012, she worked in children's publishing and television. She's now been published in more than 30 languages from Arabic to Afrikaans and from Catalan to Korean. She lives in London, UK with her husband and three children.

www.smriti.co.uk Follow Smriti on Twitter @SmritiPH

About Steve:

Steve Small has worked in animation for over 30 years as a director, designer and animator. The work has varied from working on Disney features to designing and directing shorts, TV series and commercials with Studio AKA. I'm Sticking With You is the first picture book he has illustrated.

www.studioaka.co.uk/AboutUs/SteveSmall

Smriti and Steve have kindly answered our many questions about what the best things are about I’m Sticking With You! Please read on to discover why they think picture books are so fabulous, and what they liked reading when they were little….and who is more Bear, and who is more Squirrel!

Thank you so much, Smriti and Steve!

What was your own favourite picture book as a child?

Smriti: One of my favourites was a Richard Scarry nursery rhyme collection that I still love. The playful verses are accompanied by hilarious cats and dogs in dinner jackets and raincoats. It’s endlessly enjoyable, with a glorious palette of deep pink and bright green. There’s a gorgeous inscription that my parents wrote in the front of the book when they gave it to me on my 3rd birthday which, decades later, makes it more precious than rubies.

Steve: I loved the Dean’s Gift Books of Fairy Tales and Nursery Rhymes.

What do you think the best thing about picture books is?

Smriti: I love the wonderful shared space that a picture book creates for a child and adult reader together. A moment where time stands still and where some of the most treasured childhood memories are made. I also love the way that picture books demand to be read aloud, over and over, and often become so beloved that they are known by heart.

 Steve: I love how a good picture book re-imagines the world with new characters in a completely new setting. Page after page you encounter an unfolding story that is unlike anything else and yet completely convincing. Then at some point, often not until the very end, you realise that the folk in this story are dealing with the same things as you.

I can’t count how many times as a kid and as an adult, I have read a story and enjoyed the newness and strangeness of it, and along the way chuckled at the dilemmas the characters face, only to find myself saying ‘ wait a minute, that’s what I do too!’ But by then, I have been living in their world, not mine, and have been thoroughly absorbed in working through the events alongside them, processing their thoughts and feelings. Arriving at that moment when I recognise myself in the story, I often have a new and refreshing perspective from a new vantage point.

What was your favourite thing about writing the book?

Smriti: My favourite thing about writing this book was that the words, the characters and the story felt utterly delightful and delicious to think about – so I was SMILING and LAUGHING to myself the whole time I was writing. Choosing the words felt as satisfying as picking ripe plums – the experience was a total joy – and every word felt completely true.

What was your favourite thing about drawing the book?

Steve: When I drew this story I realised I had been in some situations where I had been more Bear and some where I had been more Squirrel. I related to Bear’s unswerving enthusiasm and ‘all in’ attitude as much as I did to Squirrel’s bruised finer feelings. So when it comes to the crunch, and Squirrel asks for some space, I really felt for both of them. But the thing I enjoyed, was giving these two the opportunity to repair their broken things, and show how, in many ways, things were stronger, even if you could still see the repair job here and there.

What was your inspiration for the story?

Smriti: The idea came from something my youngest son said one morning when he patiently explained to his father, as they were leaving for football practice, that he would NOT be playing. “No,” he announced proudly and lovingly “I’m sticking with YOU, Dad!” It made me roar with laughter – and it made my heart melt at the same time.  I loved the thought of the two of them, tall and small, standing at the side of the pitch, seeing that same situation so differently. And I loved those simple, firm words: “I’m sticking with you” – whether you like it or not – and whether I’m meant to or not!

Steve: I’ve known a few folk like Bear. Big, sturdy people who appear to hardly notice the bumps in the road, but are quietly just as vulnerable as the rest of us. I’ve also known people like Squirrel who can get upset quite quickly, but are just as quick to make amends.

Then you look at the real animals themselves. How tender and tactile a Bear is. And how Squirrels are so graceful and agile, with a tail that gives absolutely everything away, and it’s hard not to admire and learn from them.

What’s the best thing about this book?

Smriti: I love that this story manages to combine big humour with big heart – so that it’s both feelgood and funny at once. These characters have a very real friendship, complete with bumps in the road that we all recognise. I love that we can feel for them and laugh with them – especially at the points where my words and Steve’s fabulous pictures are telling somewhat different stories.

Steve: Its believable, upbeat optimism. We all know how good it is to have great friends, and how awful it is to hurt them. But repairing those rifts can be tough.

In this story, we meet two individuals who have known each other a while and halfway through the book, hit a rather big stumbling block. It’s hard for a while, but luckily, rather than stay in their hurt feelings too long, these two manage to get things back on track.

Importantly for me, everything that was broken, is fixed and repaired, even if the repair still shows. A small reminder to take better care in future. I liked that. 

What are you working on next?

Smriti: I’m delighted to say that Bear and Squirrel will be back later this year in I’M STICKING WITH YOU TOO, and this time they’ll be joined by a flamboyant new character… will they be able to cope with a new friend in the mix? I’m having lots of fun working on further adventures featuring these characters, plus lots of new books too. It’s very exciting.

Steve: I’ve just finished another book with Bear and Squirrel and I’m starting on a story about a small Elephant in a big world.

And finally, what do you think has been the best thing about reading with small children during the lockdown?

Smriti: Reading together has been so brilliant during lockdown. It has brought us all so much laughter and fun (younger and older children included). And listening to each other’s voices and opinions, as well as thinking and laughing together, has been a fantastic way of feeling connected, processing our thoughts and talking about the wider world.

Steve: My partner reads to her niece regularly online. Her niece’s name is Eva and she’s one sharp cookie. The things she sees. She wants to see the front cover, the side and the back. Then they can begin. I often hear how it went, and the first thing I rediscovered right from the get go was that reading to Eva was not an audience situation, where the person sits there quietly and absorbs the story inscrutably. Eva is right there in every page, pointing out what’s funny, what’s weird, and asking questions. And investigating the answers to those questions can take a while. ( clearly a fiendish plot of Eva’s who doesn’t want to it to finish yet).

And when the story is over, if it’s a good one, you read it again. Of course. Then Eva might tell her own stories too. It’s a delightful and renewable exchange and remains as fresh and up to date as each new reading. So the same story can take on new meanings and be a catalyst for new ideas, time after time.

I think it will be a while before we fully know all the ways in which lockdown has placed limitations upon kids, but for all that their natural inquisitiveness has been stifled during this time, reading books and being read to, flings those doors open wide again, and the world gushes in. 

Meet Our 2021 Shortlist: Meesha Makes Friends by Tom Percival

In the coming weeks we will be introducing you to our wonderful #OBP21 shortlist, as they tell us about each shortlisted book, and a little bit about themselves, too!

First up is the wonderful Meesha Makes Friends, written and illustrated by Tom Percival. Meesha Makes Friends is published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

About the Book:

Meesha loves making things . . . but there's one thing she finds difficult to make - friends. She doesn't know quite what to do, what to say or when to say it. But one day she discovers that she has a special talent that might just help her navigate social situations - and maybe even make new friends.

This is a warm and affectionate look at the joys and difficulties of making and keeping friends, relating to others, and finding your place in the world.

What the Judges Said: ‘This book was so touching and had a lovely sentiment to it without it being sad when I read it. There is so much potential for discussion about creativity and how we can be inclusive, and I really think this book can resonate to any reader whether big or small: 'be open, be honest, be YOU!’  - Angellica Bell

About Tom

Tom Percival is a writer, artist, video producer and musician. Meesha Makes Friends is Tom’s ninth picture book for Bloomsbury, following Herman's Letter, Herman's Holiday, Bubble Trouble, By the Light of the Moon, Perfectly Norman, Goat's Coat (illustrated by Christine Pym), Ruby’s Worry and Ravi's Roar. Tom lives in Stroud with his partner and their two children.
For more information you can check out www.tom-percival.com - and you can find him on Twitter @TomPercivalsays 

Tom has kindly answered our many questions: read on to find out about what inspired Tom to write the book, his favourite part of Meesha Makes Friends, and what ‘f’ word he thinks of when reading in lockdown….

Thanks so much for your time, Tom!

OBP Q & A with…..Tom Percival

What was your own favourite picture book as a child?

There were a few and it depends what sort of book we’re talking here! For picture books though  it would be a close run thing between Funny Bones, Burglar Bill (which I used to call ‘Boggler Boll’) and Mog the Forgetful Cat.

 What do you think the best thing about picture books is?

I think it’s the fact that so much is left open to the reader. When a text is that sparse, it gives the reader the opportunity to fill in the blanks and add their own perspective and understanding to the story which makes it a truly interactive experience.

What’s the best thing about this book?

I don’t think I can answer that! When you’ve made a book it’s really hard to see it objectively, I could say what my favourite parts are, but not the ‘best’ parts. So to answer that slightly different question, one of my favourite moments is when Meesha is lost in her world of music.

 What was your inspiration for the story/character?

I think that meaningful, close relationships are something that we all strive for and there have been numerous points in my life where I have felt like Meesha, as though there’s something that I just don’t quite ‘get’ about the whole thing. Equally, like Meesha, I’ve found that it’s been shared passions for either making things or doing things that has connected me with other people. Basically, making friends and connecting with people in a meaningful way isn’t always as easy as you might want it to be and I wanted to make a book that communicated that to children in a light, gentle way that hopefully offers a few tips and some reassurance.

 Do you prefer writing or drawing?

I don’t really see myself as either a writer or an illustrator, I just like to make things. I make a lot of music and I'm also really interested in animation and video. I love audio visual mediums and combining story telling with music and imagery. So yeah, on any given day I’ll be doing any number of creative endeavours, but they’re only ever serving the purpose of the ‘idea’ that I’m trying to communicate. It’s just that some ideas translate better as words, some as pictures and some as songs. But I don’t prefer any one or another of them. They can all be incredibly rewarding, frustrating, tiring and satisfying!

What are you working on next?

How long have you got? I’m currently working on a lot of things! Most relevant would be a new book in the same range as Meesha Makes Friends that explores the concept of emotional jealousy. I’m also working up the final art for a follow up to a book that I made called ’The Invisible’ and I’m also illustrating the third book in my Dream Team series which will be called 'Odd One Out.’ But there’s also illustrations for the Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy, a middle grade novel that I’m writing, an action adventure series that I’m planning, some animation concepts, and LOTS of songs.

 And finally, what do you think has been the best thing about reading with small children during the lockdown?

Well, my children aren’t so small now (they’re 10 and 12) but we still read to them as it’s just such a nice, relaxing time to share. I’ve been especially enjoying books by Christopher Edge and Emma Carroll. But the benefits of reading with children are immense at all ages. It aids focus and concentration, it helps build empathy, it increases vocabulary, it’s a great wind-down before bed and what’s that other thing? Begins with an ‘F’… Oh yeah, it’s fun!

Calling all schools and nurseries: your chance to win one of 50 sets of our fabulous 2021 shortlist

That's right folks, we have 50 sets of the OBP 2021 shortlist to give away!

But before you do anything else, we have a question for you: where would you read the shortlist with the children? Would you recreate the Himalayas? Sit at the end of a home-made rainbow? Find some cuddly, snuggly animal friends of your own? Or just lay in the spring grass in the sunshine?

Wherever it would be, hold that thought - because to be in with a chance of receiving a set for your school or nursery setting, please ensure you have done the following by 5pm on Wednesday 5th May:

1. Complete the Google form to enter
2. Post a photo on social media of your choice (Facebook, Twitter or Instagram) showing where you would read the shortlist with your children if you received them. Please tag us in the photo! @oscarsbookprize #OBP21

The winning schools will be notified at the start of May, and books will be with the winners shortly afterwards. If your school or nursery setting is selected, please post a picture of the shortlist in your chosen location!

To accompany the giveaway - and even for those who don't win - our wonderful friends at CLPE will be producing a reading guide for each shortlisted book. We will share this inspirational resource in early May, so please check back here, or follow our social media, for more news.

In the meantime, if you would like more information on the books please check our news page in the coming weeks, when we will have some very special insight from the books' brilliant authors and illustrators. You can also read more about the books on the excellent National Literacy Trust's Words for Life website.

If you can't wait for the competition to close to get your hands on a set, the books are available from all bookstores or to borrow from libraries, and of course to buy from Amazon on their dedicated page www.amazon.co.uk/obp

Good luck everyone! We can't wait to see where you would read these treasures!

The smallprint:

Please note that dates are subject to change.

All entries must be received by 5pm on Wednesday 5th May.

We can provide one set per chosen setting/school only. Sadly we cannot replace any sets that go missing or are damaged en route.

For enquiries please email info@oscarsbookprize.co.uk.

OSCAR’S BOOK PRIZE DOUBLES IN VALUE AS 2021 SHORTLIST REVEALED

OSCAR’S BOOK PRIZE 2021 SHORTLIST REVEALED WITH DOUBLED PRIZE FUND AS RESEARCH UNCOVERS PARENTS RENEWED LOVE FOR READING WITH KIDS DURING LOCKDOWN

• Shortlist announced today, and to recognise and reward the vital work by early-years authors and illustrators in encouraging young children to read, this year’s prize fund has doubled in size to £10,000

• Six books shortlisted for the 2021 annual award for the UK’s best picture book

• Record number of entries recorded with a 12% increase in 2021 as the National Literacy Trust reveals that a third of adults have been reading with their children aged 0-5 more often since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, affirming the vital work of early-year authors

• The winner will be announced by the award’s patron, HRH Princess Beatrice, in a livestreamed virtual ceremony on Tuesday 11th May

 

Oscar’s Book Prize has announced the 2021 shortlist, with six books making it through to the next round following the highest number of entries recorded to date, up 12% from 2020. 

Celebrating the best in storytelling for under-fives, this announcement follows one of the most difficult years where children spent more time at home than ever before. This coincides with news released from the National Literacy Trust reporting that a third (32%) of adults have been reading with their children (aged 0-5) more than ever since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic – affirming the important work by early-year authors to educate, inspire and spark joy. To recognise and reward the vital work by early-years authors and illustrators in encouraging young children to read, this year’s prize fund has doubled in size. Avid book fans can learn more about Oscar’s Book Prize at oscarsbookprize.co.uk.

Now in its eighth year, Oscar’s Book Prize celebrates the best in storytelling for under-fives, crowning the UK’s best picture book. The prize was created to remember Oscar Ashton, who was three-and-a-half when he died from an undetected heart condition in 2012. It is supported by Amazon, the National Literacy Trust and the Evening Standard.

This year’s shortlist was chosen by a judging panel including TV presenters Lorraine Kelly and Angellica Bell, renowned children’s illustrator Axel Scheffler, and Simon Johnson, Amazon Director of EU Books. Oscar’s Book Prize co-founder Viveka Alvestrand, who set up the literary award in memory of her son, completes the line-up.

Submissions were of such high quality this year that the judging panel recognised six rather than the usual five books. The exceptional stories on the 2021 shortlist feature characters as diverse as yaks, dogs and bears, and settings that range from mountain tops, hospitals and schools. They all share strong and inspiring themes of friendships, co-operation, self-belief and perseverance.

The Oscar’s Book Prize 2021 shortlist is as follows:

I’m Sticking with you by Smriti Halls and Steve Small (Simon and Schuster Children’s Books)

Axel Scheffler said: "The clarity and simplicity of the design and illustration is very striking, yet the pictures are emotional and funny. Similarly the writing is brilliantly simple but gripping. I enjoyed the tension between text and illustrations - it's a perfectly balanced picture book."

Meesha Makes Friends by Tom Percival (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

Angellica Bell said: “'This book was so touching and had a lovely sentiment to it without it being sad when I read it. There is so much potential for discussion about creativity and how we can be inclusive, and I really think this book can resonate to any reader whether big or small, 'Be open, be honest, be YOU!”

Rain Before Rainbows by Smriti Halls and David Litchfield (Walker Books)

Viveka Alvestrand said: “Every spread in this book provides its own fairytale, which complements the feeling of hope that radiates from every page. I loved it.”

The Hospital Dog by Julia Donaldson and Sara Ogilvie (Macmillan Children’s Books)

Lorraine Kelly said: “I loved the characters in this story, which the text and pictures bring so brilliantly and vibrantly to life. Reading this elicits an emotional response, and at a time when hospitals and narratives about illness are at the forefront of many minds, I found this very comforting. I thought this book was a delight.”

The Littlest Yak by Lu Fraser and Kate Hindley (Simon and Schuster Children’s Books)

Lorraine Kelly said: “This book is full of beautiful illustrations and deceptive simplicity. It's about worries too, so if you had a child who felt a little bit different or who felt they didn't fit in you could use it in a lovely, positive way.”

Would You Like A Banana by Yasmeen Ismail (Walker Books)

Simon Johnson said: “This book is full of wonderful pictures with a very funny story. It was completely gripping to read with my children.”

 

Speaking about her role on the judging panel, Lorraine Kelly said: “I loved having the opportunity to read these stories, they really are an amazing set of books and all of them are winners in my eyes. It’s so important to read with our children and think these books are perfect to get them involved and unlock the magic of storytelling.”

 

“I’m absolutely thrilled we can double the value of Oscar’s Book Prize” , said James Ashton, co-founder and chairman of the Prize. “From talking to our past winners, I know for them it is not all about the money, but these authors and illustrators deserve huge thanks for inspiring the next generation of readers. Substantially increasing the prize is our way of saying thank you, while at the same time I hope focusing attention on the brilliant books published in this segment of the market for children and their carers to share.”

 

Amazon Director of EU Books, Simon Johnson said: “We have been so impressed by the quality of this year’s entries which were a pleasure to read. My congratulations go to each author and illustrator for creating inspiring stories packed full of important educational messages for children.”

 

Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust said: “We are proud to support Oscar’s Book Prize. It is a fantastic celebration of early years literature in honour of Oscar Ashton who loved stories, and it highlights the importance of reading with children from a young age. Children’s experiences in their early years help shape their social, emotional and cognitive development and lay the foundations for future health, happiness and success. The shortlist of entries to this year’s prize is incredible. Congratulations to all authors, it has been a tough year for many, but your work has brought joy to many families and is helping children on their way to becoming readers.”

. The winner will be announced by the award’s patron, HRH Princess Beatrice, in a livestreamed virtual ceremony on Tuesday 11th May. For more on the six shortlisted stories, go to oscarsbookprize.co.uk. Oscar’s Book Prize is supported by Amazon, the National Literacy Trust and the Evening Standard.

For further details, contact the Oscar’s Book Prize team at info@oscarsbookprize.co.uk.

Join us over on Facebook!

You’ve retweeted us on Twitter. You’ve ‘liked’ us on Instagram. Well now it’s time for a new Oscar’s Book Prize channel and that channel is Facebook (bet you’re relieved it isn’t Tik Tok). Head over to our shiny new Facebook for news on all the latest developments from Oscar’s Book Prize from our excellent judge’s Q&As, to our upcoming shortlist announcement and everything in-between!

A quick Q&A from our Longlist Judges

So we thought now was a great time to tell you a little bit more about our intrepid longlisting judges and what they were looking for when they worked their way through the world’s biggest pile of children’s books! Here’s our special Oscar’s Book Prize Tuesday Q&A:

Bedri Beytula-Sali and Sajida Akber

Can you tell us why you wanted to be involved with longlisting Oscar’s Book Prize?

Oscar had been attending our nursery since he was a baby. We loved being part of his development and watching him grow to a curious little boy who particularly enjoyed reading books. We have built a strong relationship with his parents and his little sister Alice.

What do you want to find this year?

We were looking forward to finding great joy, excitement and humour in the books we read.

What makes a fabulous book?

The one which will remain forever in a reader’s mind and heart.

 What did you love reading when you were little? 

Stories with a pinch of magic in them. Oscar’s favourite was How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers

Best book recommendation for 2021

I’m Sticking with You by Smriti Halls

You work with pre-school children every day - what do you think they find most exciting about books?

Funny, short, exciting stories and pictures, which make them giggle and want to get up and go!

What benefits do books have to young children? E.g. cuddles and confidence and imagination as well as literacy?

Books are a wonderful opportunity for the children to develop their cognitive skills, enhance their creativity, expand their listening skills and attention, and learn lots of life lessons through captivating stories and art. 

Ed Vere

Can you tell us why you wanted to be involved with longlisting Oscar’s Book Prize?

I’m very happy to be a part of the long-listing process. It’s a delight to see the great work that is being created and to help reward work that is outstanding. Writing good books is hard work… that hard work needs recognition. 

What do you want to find this year?

I don’t know what I want to find until I see it. There are so many reasons why a book might be brilliant. It might be very funny, moving, or exciting. Maybe it makes us think - or, if we’re lucky, it's all of those things together. 

What makes a fabulous book?

Adding to my last answer - a book which contains a truth of some kind. Truth is important in all the things mentioned above. It also manages to touch our hearts. 

 What did you love reading when you were little? 

So many books - I was voracious. Richard Scarry’s entire world, David McKee, Wind in the Willows, Winnie the Pooh, Roald Dahl… along with Quentin Blake’s incredible illustrations, all Jan Pienkowski’s books.

You won in 2019. What impact has being involved with the prize had?

Writing is hard and sometimes lonely work. There are moments when it’s just incredibly difficult to sit at a desk and pull something from your heart and wrestle it into the shape of book that is publishable and might end up saying something of value to someone. As an author, you seldom get to see someone enjoying your work. Winning the prize was a great honour. It’s recognition helps give me the encouragement to keep going when times are hard. So, thank you for that!

As a former winner, what would you most like children to enjoy about your books?

It’s just very important that children read for enjoyment. It's the single most important thing they can do to help them to educate themselves, to understand the world around them and to learn to think for themselves. As far as my books go… I just hope that children enjoy losing themselves in the worlds I create, and meeting the characters who live in them. 

Janet Noble

Can you tell us why you wanted to be involved with longlisting Oscar’s Book Prize?

I enjoy being involved in all activities that promote a love of books and reading to children of all backgrounds and abilities.

What do you want to find this year?

I want to find exciting and engrossing books that are representative of our diverse society.

What makes a fabulous book?

One that creates a stimulating and lasting reading and visual experience through the perfect symmetry of text and illustrations.

 What did you love reading when you were little? 

I was a young child in the 1970s, so I loved the fantastical, nonsensical, escapist, (with a dash of bad behaviour!), classics of the period, such as: Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak The Giant Jam Sandwich by Janet Burroway and John Vernon Lord Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

Best book recommendation for 2021?

I love the A Fairy Tale Revolution series. Four famous fairy tales, The Ugly Duckling, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel and Blueblood are given a contemporary twist by celebrated writers Rebecca Solnit, Malorie Blackman, Kamila Shamsie and Jeanette Winterson. Reimagined for today’s boys and girls, these brightly illustrated tales are both playful and thoughtful with compassion, courage, and freedom at their heart.

You’re an expert at matching books to children! Are you ever surprised by the books young children choose? Are there differences in the books adults might select for children and what they pick themselves?

I am never surprised! Young children will read anything, and adults tend to select the picture books they loved when they were young (myself included.) Whatever the book, the most enjoyable aspect is when children and adults read together.

When books are read aloud in libraries, what do you think works best?

Books that rhyme and/ or use repetitive text and images are excellent for storytelling. Oi Frog by Kes Gray, So Much by Trish Cooke, There’s A Bear on My Chair by Ross Collins are just a few of the books that are guaranteed to entrance the little ones.

Jo Jeffery

Can you tell us why you wanted to be involved with longlisting Oscar’s Book Prize?

 I love children’s books! Now that my children are older (13 and 10) I really miss the joy of the beautiful early years books - there are so many - and I was happy to take part just so that I could indulge my inner child. 

What do you want to find this year?

A beautifully illustrated, rhythmic book that is easeful to read and captivates the imagination.

 What makes a fabulous book?

 A simple story with beautiful illustrations; I love the melody of good writing - the end of the day is as important for the parents as it is for the children. 

 What did you love reading when you were little? 

 I have it on good authority that I requested Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit quite a lot!

 Best book recommendation for 2021?

 I am looking forward to adding to our shelves The Desolations of Devil’s Acre by Ransom Riggs for my 13 year old, which is the 6th novel of Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children and for my 10 year old The Wild Before by Piers Torday which is the prequel to ‘The Last Wild’ trilogy.  

 Tell us more about Read for Good and what happens to those books who don't make the judges' cut?

We have been making UK hospitals a better place for children since 2010, by harnessing the simple but incredibly effective power of books and stories. Our cheery mobile bookcases, packed with carefully chosen titles, have been proven to comfort, distract, educate and entertain – not only boosting the wellbeing of poorly children and their families but also encouraging a love of reading for pleasure. Oscars Book Prize books are part of a huge variety of books we send to children in hospital - from newborn to sixteen year olds. Our main service runs in thirty hospitals nationwide from Truro to Aberdeen and including Belfast. We have also been able to include Oscar’s Book Prize books in our new book box scheme, which places brand new books beyond hospitals to a variety of different children's medical settings, including mental health units and hospices.  

As you can imagine 2020 and 2021 has proven quite the challenge. Going to hospital, especially for lengthy or repeated treatments, can be very tough for any child and their family even in ‘normal’ times. That experience has been made even tougher by the pandemic with visitors restricted to one parent only and children often been restricted to their bed or ward, with no outside play or use of the playroom. With few Covid-compliant resources available to children in hospitals, and almost all non-essential services being cancelled or curtailed,  our books have provided an escape from the four walls of the hospital and the long empty days, helping to reduce feelings of isolation and anxiety. As a Hospital School teacher told us recently:

'I just wanted to let you know how invaluable the Read for Good books have been during this lockdown period. Although we're not working on the wards, we're now operating a School takeaway service from one of our classrooms - the Play Team share the “menus” and deliver the resources to the bedside from us. We've been sending a book to each child we work with, whenever they're in hospital, and have had some lovely feedback from parents and staff. Parents aren't allowed down to theatre with children at the moment, so a member of the Play Team has to accompany each child instead - one of the Play Specialists told us that yesterday she was able to read the ‘Winnie the Witch’ book, which we'd sent to the child, all the way to the theatre and that this had been a perfect distraction'.

Viveka Alvestrand

 

Can you tell us why you wanted to be involved with longlisting Oscar’s Book Prize?

As Oscar's mummy and co-founder of the prize that bears his name I've been involved with the longlisting since the prize's inception It marks the start of my favourite time of the year where I am always surrounded by brilliant books for children.

What do you want to find this year?

A book I think a child would like to have read to them again and again; one that triggers an emotion, with beautiful illustrations that chime with the words. More privately, I'll also be looking for a book that I think Oscar would have loved and in my head I'll be reading it to him.

What makes a fabulous book?

A whole range of things! It can be humour, great rhymes, an unusual plot twist, something that gets you thinking - preferably all these rolled into one - and with page-turning pictures to draw you in as well. A great book should shut out the world around you and transport you right into the action. Wonderful prose can be let down by mis-matched illustrations, and vice versa, but when they work together, that's where wonder lies.

 What did you love reading when you were little? 

I grew up in Sweden where Astrid Lindgren (the creator of Pippi Longstocking and countless other wonderful characters) was pretty much spoon-fed to me, first as picture books, then as I grew older in novel format. I was also fascinated by the quirky illustrations of the Moomin picture books, and I adored The Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. 

 Can you tell us more about why OBP thought it was important to make the longlist more visible?

There are so many wonderful children's books published in the UK every year. If publicising the longlist means we can make sure they are put on more people's radars who can go on to enjoy them with their children then that's a great thing.

 

A sneak peak at the Oscar's Book Prize longlisting process!

We're always thrilled by the quality and breadth of submissions we receive for Oscar's Book Prize each year.

We would talk about each and every submission if we could - and as you might know we make sure that they all go to the most excellent homes by donating all books not shortlisted to the wonderful Read for Good, which you can read about further down on this blog in the QA with Jo Jeffery.

However, while we only publicly announce the shortlist, we DO have a longlist stage, which is there as an additional round of reading in order to give the books the consideration they deserve.

This year we've introduced a formal panel, which has taken some of the pressure off of our usual longlist panel of the staff (and sometimes children!) at the Eveline Day Nursery in Wimbledon (the nursery that Oscar attended), though we are thrilled that they are still a part of things, as you'll see below.

While the books this panel of experts chooses will remain confidential, over the coming weeks we wanted to give some insight into how the books are selected at this stage - and who by!

From librarians to authors, read on to learn more about our brilliant longlist judges:

Bedri Beytula-Sali and Sajida Akber

Bedi is the manager of the Eveline Day Nursery that Oscar attended and Sajida is her deputy manager.

Ed Vere

Ed Vere is an award-winning and New York Times bestselling writer & illustrator of picture books, including How To Be a Lion and Max the Brave which was named one of The Sunday Times's '100 Modern Children's Classics'. He studied fine art at Camberwell College of Art and has been writing and illustrating children's books since 1999. Ed's books are published all over the world. He is also a painter, working from his studio in east London, and is represented by galleries in London and Los Angeles.

Janet Noble

Janet has spent twenty-six years promoting a love of books and reading to children of all ages as a children’s librarian in London. During the span of her career, she has worked in public libraries, for the preschool Sure Start Bookstart Plus Scheme, in school libraries and in a workplace specialist library for children and family social workers.

She is a member of the Library and Information Association (CILIP) Youth Librarian Group London Committee. She was a judge for CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Awards, the oldest children’s book prizes in Britain, in 2019 and 2020.  She will be Chair of the judging panel for CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Awards in 2023.

Jo Jeffery

Jo is the Fundraising and Digital Officer for children's literacy charity Read for Good. Jo's eldest child has been a regular outpatient at Birmingham Children's Hospital for nearly 13 years and she knows only too well the power of books and stories for children in hospital.

Viveka Alvestrand

Viveka is co-founder of Oscar's Book Prize and Oscar's mother. She's a freelance content producer and jewellery designer who is also passionate about younger year's reading and children's literature.

Join in with World Book Day with the help of some very special OBP friends!

There are many ways to join in with World Book Day, as listed on their website here.

One thing we’ve been thinking about at Oscar’s Book Prize is who to discover and dress up as at home – especially if you can dress up and read together with someone else! Please read on for some suggestions – or pick one of your own!

 

1.  As we saw in the last post, Princess Beatrice recommends discovering Oi Frog by Kes Gray and Jim Field (Hodder Children’s Books).

Can you go green and become a frog for today? Or indeed a cat, hare…or any other creature. See if you can find a thing to sit on that rhymes with your chosen character! (Now, what rhymes with comfy cushion?)

(Oi Frog by Kes Gray and Jim Field is published by Hodder Children’s Books).

 

 

2.      Amazing author/illustrator of OBP20’s shortlisted book Alphonse, There’s Mud on the Ceiling Daisy Hirst said: ‘I’d love to see someone dressed up as Beegu from Alexis Deacon’s picture book. Bright yellow, long ears, three eyes... what more could you want? And the book is a wonder.’

We couldn’t agree more! And remember, Beegu is searching for friends – puppies, or people, so who else can dress up with you to join the gang? Or maybe you are Beegu’s family – the more yellow the better, we say…

(Beegu by Alexis Deacon is published by Red Fox)

 

 

3.      Jo Jeffery, Fundraising and Digital Officer for the brilliant charity Read for Good, and OBP21 longlist judge, said:

‘My go-to children's book has always been The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C S Lewis, so let's go full Snow Queen!’

Oooh yes! Will you summon your inner frost and turn someone else in the room into a stone statue? Or will someone else be the Snow Queen, and could you be Edmund, Lucy, or Mr Tumnus?

(The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis is published by HarperCollins Children’s Books)

 

4.      Janet Noble, librarian extraordinaire and OBP21 longlist judge said:

‘I love the BFG ( Big Friendly Giant)! Not only does he give out good dreams to children and destroy their  bad ones , he also speaks a lovely, mashed up back-to-front language , called Gobblefunk, which the author  Roald Dahl created by playing around with  words.

Here are 5 of my favourite Gobblefunk words:

Delumptious

Delicious, as in, "Delumptious fizzy frobscottle..."

Hopscotchy

Cheerful, as in, “Whenever I is feeling a bit scrotty," the BFG said, “a few gollops of frobscottle is always making me hopscotchy again.”

Squibbling

Writing, as in "But I cannot be squibbling the whole gropefluncking dream on a titchy bit of paper."

Ucky-mucky

Messy, as in, "You will be coming to an ucky-mucky end if any of them should ever be getting his gogglers upon you."

Whoopsey-splunkers

Splendid, as in, “How whoopsey-splunkers! How absolutely squiffling! l is all of a stutter.” 

I've also attached a photo of myself dressed up as the BFG for last year's World Book Day!!!

It’s going to take a lot to match Janet’s awesome BFG! Thank you so much, Janet! And of course, where there’s a BFG there’s a Sophie! And the Queen… or perhaps one of the scary giants would be better? Everyone knows someone grumpy enough to be Fleshlumpeater…

(The BFG is published by Puffin, written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake)

5.      Meanwhile, Benji Davies, winner of Oscar’s Book Prize in both 2020 and 2014, has given us some very special inspiration: a brilliant drawing with his ideas of how to dress up as Noi from The Storm Whale and The Storm Whale in Winter!

Can you spot it on our social media later today?

(The Storm Whale by Benji Davies is published by Simon & Schuster)

 

6.      Just as excitingly, John Dougherty - who won OBP18 along with Laura Hughes for their fantastic book There’s A Pig Up My Nose! has sent us a fabulous video which will also be popping up on @oscarsbookprize on Twitter and Instagram very shortly!

Spoiler alert: he has chosen Millie’s Marvelllous Hat by Satoshi Kitamura (Andersen Press)

John definitely says it best – have a watch! I wonder what marvellous hats you could make?!

7.      And last but by no means least are the characters of choice from the Award’s co-founders, Oscar’s parents James Ashton and Viveka Alvestrand.

A true Swedish patriot, and with excellent taste, Viveka chooses Pippi Longstocking (by Astrid Lindgren, published by OUP) – and in this edition is beautifully illustrated by Lauren Child, former Children’s Laureate and of course fabulous former OBP judge!)

 

James has chosen Charlie Bucket of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory / Charlie and The Great Glass Elevator (Puffin, illustrated by Quentin Blake). An excellent character choice. Especially if someone is willing to be Grandpa Joe or Willy Wonka. And EVEN better to create your own chocolate factory and combine books and sweets! Just be careful if you love chocolate as much as Augustus Gloop, especially if you have enough to make a chocolate river…

 

 

A celebration of World Book Day – by Princess Beatrice

We’re thrilled that our Patron, Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice, has written a blog to coincide with World Book Day all about reading during lockdown.

A Celebration of World Book Day

By HRH Princess Beatrice  

 Reading stories over this last year has been the best form of adventure from the safety of our own homes. It is amazing how in-between video calls and working through technology we have had more time in the day to enjoy reading and its shown how important is has been to step away from the screen and jump into worlds unknown through the help of books.

As you might already know I have dyslexia and as such reading has never been my strongest talent, however, having a little more time to take a moment to really get into stories has been a gift I am happy to have shared with lockdown life. I have found when things are a little uncertain, or if I am worried or scared of what the future might have in store, stepping in the worlds describes on the pages of literature has given me a sense of reassurance. It reminds me that challenges and quests have been dared throughout the ages and lessons learnt along the way make us stronger and more resilient.

This year, I had the great honour to become a stepmother, and have had the most remarkable time going back over some of my most favourite stories at bedtime. Together, we had such a special time reading through all the entries for Oscars Book Prize 2020.  The winning book Tad by Benji Davis is a remarkable story of resilience told through the adventures of Tad the little tadpole who was one of the smallest but one of the bravest in the pond. The story reminds us that sometimes the biggest stories have the smallest beginnings. I can't wait to see what we will read for the Prize this year!

For me, stories shared together during this challenging time have been a great lesson. Reflecting on those seemingly small moments when you are laughing at a character or a very clever illustration remind us that even when things feel uncertain there is always an adventure to be had on the next page. My inspiration and love of reading has stemmed from an early age, my Mother being a children’s author instigated my love of reading and stories.

My stepson has been, as many children have, home schooling this term. Helping him to engage with stories is a great journey to inspire imagination, creativity, independence and humour. If you have not yet read the Oi Frog books by Kes Grey and Jim Field, they have fast become our favourite. We have all had to learn new ways to cope with the strangest of times. For our family, reading stories has been a great part of our journey to finding laughter and a little magic on the journey.

As Princess Beatrice mentions, discovering books to read together is a magical way to mark World Book Day.

To help you choose, why not look at some of our previous shortlisted books for inspiration?

 Or, take a look at the next post (and/or on our social media channels by following @oscarsbookprize) to see which characters some of our current and past shortlist, judges and experts have suggested to read and dress up as together at home!

You can also find out more about World Book Day and some of the ways to celebrate it here: https://www.worldbookday.com/about-us/

Princess Beatrice is not the only person to reflect on reading during lockdown. The brilliant team at World Book Day, along with incredible partners including CLPE and NLT (who we are also proud to work with) have done some amazing research to give a complete picture of reading over the past year. You can read all about their findings here: https://www.worldbookday.com/2021/02/the-story-of-reading-during-lockdown

                          

Meet the judges!

We thought it was about time we told you a bit more about his year’s intrepid Oscar’s Book Prize judges. TV and radio’s Angellica Bell joins queen of the breakfast show, Lorraine Kelly and illustrator extraordinaire Axel Scheffler to form our celebrity trio for Oscar’s Book Prize 2021 alongside regular judges, Viveka Alvestrand, who founded the £5,000 literary award in memory of her son, and Simon Johnson, Director of Amazon EU Books. You can read a little bit more about Viveka and Simon in their bios, but for now let’s find out more about our new judge’s and what they’ll be looking out for during this year’s prize cycle:

What is your earliest or best memory of reading a book as a young child?

Axel: I don't really have a first reading memory, but there is evidence that I enjoyed books - you can see a photo of me reading as a tiny child on my website!

Lorraine: I grew up in a house full  of books. My mum and dad taught me to read and write before I went to primary  school. They weren’t pushy, they just made it fun and the gift of loving books is one of the best they have ever given to me. My first books were Dr Seuss and The Golden Treasury of Faith Tales, then I got into  Just William books and Enid Blyton.  

Angellica: I wasn't surrounded by books growing up but once I was old enough, I would go to the library every Saturday and spend the morning there reading books in the children's section. I remember loving the Judy Blume books and had a light attached to my bottom bunk and read well into the night. I used books for escapism and to see the world differently.

 

Who was your favourite person to read with as a child? Who do you read picture books with now?

Axel: I think my Mum read some Grimm fairy tales to me when I was a child which I liked. I've read every night to my daughter since she was little, and we've enjoyed all sorts of different books together. But now she is 13 and too old for picture books. I do read them when I do school visits though ...

Lorraine: My mum read to me as a child and it was something I really enjoyed doing with my daughter Rosie when she was little.  Each Peach Pear Plum was a favourite and I read her all my old books which I’d kept and still have. I can’t throw out a book as they are too precious. My house is full of books of all kinds.

Angellica: Everyone's experience of reading is different and not everyone has the idyllic start with books, it came later for me and something I had to instil in myself. I truly understand the benefits now and every night one of us would read a picture book to the little ones even when they were babies. I have also read for Cbeebies bedtime stories and am often asked to record books for children. I just love it. Picture books allow the development of thought. ideas and confidence and a way for children to be able to articulate what they see. 

 

What was your favourite picture book as a child, and/or of all time?

Axel: I had a picture book called Hirsch Heinrich by Fred Rodrian and Werner Klemke which I really liked, and that I've still got. Now I like anything by William Steig - I don't have one favourite book.

Lorraine: My favourite  picture book was One Fish Two Fish by  Dr Seuss but my grandmother gave me a copy of Struwelpeter  which is a pretty macabre book for kids full of terrible stories about  what happens to you if you are a naughty child. It scared the living daylights out of me. 

Angellica: I love picture books and have so many at home which I'm keeping just in case! The ones that stand out in my head at this moment are The Lorax, I Want my Hat Back and The Day the Crayons Quit! I've had fun reading them over the years.

 

What sort of books are you hoping to discover when reading for the Prize?

Axel: Well obviously an exciting text with amazing pictures!

Lorraine: I’m hoping to discover stories that really understand children and don’t talk down to them or patronise them in any way. Kids are very smart and they know what they like, and more importantly what  they don’t like, and they can spot when an author doesn’t “get” them. 

Obviously interesting, exciting stories that  spark their imagination and make them want to read even more books, and also that parents can use to tell their own stories. 

Angellica: I'm hoping to discover books that are new, exciting, and imaginative. I want them to make me think too. There needs to be some great art as well as memorable text that can be translated well when read out. That's what I'll be looking out for in the winning book.

 

What do you think the best thing about picture books are?

Axel: I think picture books are very important in helping children get to know and understand the world around them. They can learn about other places and people that might not be in their life experience, and understand how life can be represented in images. Reading books together helps to create a bond between parents and their children, cuddling up together to read a book is calming and reassuring for both.

Lorraine: The best thing is using the story to teach children without it being a chore and to see their imaginations fly. The best picture books never gets dull no matter how many times you read them to your children because there’s something new to discover. 

Angellica: Picture books are fantastic as they allow a connection to develop between the child and reader. When I've gone into schools to read to children, I love how picture books spark conversations and thought processes which can be explored. I also believe it helps children to work out how to express themselves and learn basic words. It's just so much fun for both the adult and child. It breaks down barriers and they end up asking you all sorts of questions! 

 

What motivated you to be involved in the Prize this year?

Axel: It's always a nice experience to discuss picture books with other judges and I do hope it can happen in person and not online. I also think prizes are important to raise awareness of picture books (- though I'm not quite sure how much they get noticed beyond the industry).

Lorraine: I just want children to have the chance to discover the joy of reading  and if we can get them to do that at an early age they will be able to open a door to a world of wonders. Reading is one if the great joys of life and if we can capture children’s imaginations when they are still tiny we will be giving them a wonderful gift. 

Angellica: I guess having worked in Children's television at the start of my career and having friends with little ones and a family of my own, I understand the benefits of books and the importance of getting children into good reading habits from day one. 

 

 

Angellica Bell Joins Judging Panel for Oscar's Book Prize 2021

LONDON, 15th February 2020 – TV and radio presenter Angellica Bell joins Lorraine Kelly and Axel Scheffler as a celebrity judge of Oscar’s Book Prize 2021. Bell, twice nominated for a Children’s BAFTA and the face of Children's BBC between 2000 - 2006 will help choose the winner of the £5,000 prize, now in its eighth year.

Angellica Bell joins Lorraine Kelly and Axel Scheffler on the judging panel of Oscar’s Book Prize 2021. Viveka Alvestrand, co-founder of the Prize and Oscar’s mother, and Simon Johnson, Director of Amazon EU Books, complete the line up.

Completing the panel is Viveka Alvestrand, who founded the £5,000 literary award in memory of her son, and Simon Johnson, Director of Amazon EU Books.

Commenting on her new role, Angellica Bell said: “Encouraging children to read is vital to give them the best start and I wish I had read more as a child, hence why I jumped at the chance to be a judge for this year's Oscar’s Book Prize. I’m looking forward to joining the panel and reading the amazing entries.”

Bell won the 2017 series of Celebrity Masterchef and in 2019 published her first cookery book aimed at children titled, Fantastic Eats and How to Cook Them!

Oscar's Book Prize is supported by Amazon, the Evening Standard and the National Literacy Trust and counts HRH Princess Beatrice as its patron. The prize’s organisers distribute donated shortlisted books to schools and nurseries across the UK, whilst surplus entered stories are shared with UK hospitals via the charity, Read for Good.

Previous winners of the Prize include two-time winner Benji Davies, most recently for Tad in 2020, and Ed Vere in 2019 for his picture book How to be a Lion.

More information on the prize can be found at www.oscarsbookprize.co.uk. The shortlist will be revealed on Monday, April 12th, and the winner of the £5,000 prize will be announced on Thursday, May 13th, 2021.

Lorraine Kelly and Axel Scheffler first judges to be announced for Oscar's Book Prize 2021

 

TV presenter Lorraine Kelly and award-winning illustrator Axel Scheffler – best known for his work on children’s classic The Gruffalo – are the first celebrity judges to be announced for Oscar's Book Prize 2021, with more to be revealed in the new year. 

Now in its eighth year, Oscar’s Book Prize celebrates the best new books for under-fives – a vital time for children to fall in love with reading. James Ashton and Viveka Alvestrand created the prize in memory of their son, Oscar Ashton, who loved stories.

Commenting on her new role, Lorraine Kelly said:

“Some of my favourite memories as a parent include reading bedtime stories to my daughter Rosie and I cannot wait to see what colourful characters, adventures and stories appear in this year’s entries. I wish everyone entering the very best of luck.”

Axel Scheffler said:

“I know how much work goes into creating a book for under-fives age and the impact it can have, so I am delighted to be on the judging panel for Oscar’s Book Prize this year and look forward to championing the work of some great children’s illustrators and authors.”

Oscar's Book Prize is supported by Amazon, the Evening Standard and the National Literacy Trust and its patron is HRH Princess Beatrice. The prize’s organisers distribute donated shortlisted books to schools and nurseries across the UK.

Prize chairman  James Ashton said:

“I'm delighted to welcome all our judges and supporters who will make our eighth annual contest the most thorough search yet for the picture book that will capture the imagination of young readers all over the UK."

Previous winners of the Prize include two-time winner Benji Davies, most recently for Tad in 2020, and Ed Vere in 2019 for his picture book How to be a Lion.

The prize is now open for entries and publishers can submit their chosen books at www.oscarsbookprize.co.uk until 5pm on Monday, January 25th, 2021. The shortlist will be revealed on Monday, April 12th, and the winner of the £5,000 prize will be announced on Thursday, May 12th, 2021.

 

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 or follow @oscarsbookprize on Instagram or Twitter

 

About Amazon.co.uk

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalised recommendations, Prime, Fulfilment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.co.uk/about and follow @AmazonNewsUK

 

About Axel Scheffler 

Axel was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1957. He studied history of art in Hamburg, before moving to the United Kingdom to study illustration at Bath Academy of Art in 1982. Since then he has worked as a freelance illustrator in London. He is best known for the children's books he has illustrated through his partnership with author, Julia Donaldson. Together they created The Gruffalo, which has sold over 17 million copies in over 80 countries throughout the world. He lives in London.  

Axel Scheffler by Liam Jackson

About Lorraine Kelly

Lorraine OBE is an award winning TV presenter and journalist, hosting her own ITV show 'Lorraine'.  Born in Glasgow, Lorraine joined her local weekly newspaper The East Kilbride News aged seventeen.  In 1983, she joined BBC Scotland as a researcher, and a year later she became TVam's Scottish correspondent covering stories like the Piper Alpha disaster and the Lockerbie bombing. She went on to co-host TVam and GMTV.  In 2012, Lorraine was awarded the OBE by HM The Queen for services to charity and the armed forces at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh. She is a patron of Help For Heroes. Lorraine lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband Steve, daughter Rosie and their dog Angus.  

Lorraine Kelly

Halloween Reading for Half Term!

If you’re looking for something spooky to do with your little monster this Halloween (and over half term) then please look no further than these frighteningly good books to read together…

We hope you enjoy sharing one of these brilliant stories that truly put the BOO in book….

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (Macmillan Children’s Books)

This classic story of an unlucky witch and her ever-growing bunch of companions attempting to fly in very autumnal conditions has a winning combination of magic and adventure, with lovely rhymes, nail-biting action, and gorgeous drawings of the characters exploring their stormy world…

Funny Bones by Janet and Allan Ahlberg (Puffin)

These skeletons might be the least scary monsters ever, but what they lack in being fearsome they make up for with being funny. So join Big Skeleton, Little Skeleton and Dog Skeleton on their dark, dark street and immerse yourself in a classic story from this series.

Ten Little Monsters by Mike Brownlow and Simon Rickerty (Orchard Books)

Trick or Treating is off this year, but not for the ten little monsters. They set out to scare others, but instead encounter all sorts of ghouls, ghosts….and robots. Will they make it through the gauntlet to the Halloween party? You can rhyme, count and chuckle your way through together to find out!

Bedtime for Monsters by Ed Vere (Puffin)

Feel the thrill of excitement as the monster in search of a bedtime feast comes closer and closer to you – but what does he want in the end? Enjoy the giggles and tummy rumbles as you enjoy this story together, with its lovely twist. This is a brilliant story from our 2019 winner Ed Vere.

Ten Minutes to Bed Little Monster by Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton (Ladybird)

Continuing the bedtime trope is this seasonally themed bedtime read from the Ten Minutes to Bed series. Lovely illustrations and highly recognisable pre-bedtime situations make this an entertaining story as the reader and Belch count down to what’s hopefully a nightmare-free sleep…

Meg and Mog by Helen Nicoll and Jan Pienkowski (Puffin)

Not that this wonderfully ghoulish pair should only be read at Halloween, but the adventures of Meg and Mog really are a perfect match for children wanting to get into the spooky spirit. It is Halloween in the story, and Meg and Mog are heading out to a party to make their yearly spell. What could possibly go wrong?

So there you have it, some (mildly) scary stories guaranteed to please your little ghouls over the Halloween half term!

Books for Schools - Flash Giveaway!

Exciting newsflash!

It is almost time to roll up our sleeves and get started on a whole new year of OBP – and we can’t wait!.

However, before we move on to OBP21, we still have one commitment remaining from OBP20 that we need to fulfil.

As part of the prize’s Terms and Conditions, each shortlisted publisher agrees to supply copies of their shortlisted book to give away to schools and nurseries. This means that a whopping 50 schools or nurseries now have the chance to get their hands on the full set of the shortlist - AKA these fantastic titles:

A Mouse Called Julian by Joe Todd Stanton (Flying Eye Books)

Alphonse, There’s Mud on the Ceiling by Daisy Hirst (Walker)

I Am A Tiger by Karl Newson and Ross Collins (Macmillan Children’s Books)

The Runaway Pea by Kjartan Poskitt and Alex Willlmore (Simon & Schuster)

The Suitcase by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros (Nosy Crow)

Tad by Benji Davies (HarperCollins)

These special books are great to read together, whether at home or in an educational setting. To highlight how to get the best out of them, the wonderful team at CLPE have produced a fantastic pack of teaching resources for each shortlisted title, which you can download or read here:

About CLPE:

The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) is an independent UK charity dedicated to raising the literacy achievement of children by putting quality children's literature at the heart of all learning. It is a charity with a national and international reputation for excellent literacy training and resources. Visit www.clpe.org.uk for further information.

How to Enter:

Please email laura@oscarsbookprize.co.uk (or direct message @oscarsbookprize on Twitter or Instagram) to request a set for your school, remembering to include the head teacher’s name and contact email and the school’s full address. For preschools or nurseries please include the nursery manager’s name as well as the address.

The smallprint:

• We can only provide one full set per school.

• We will allocate the fifty sets at random, once we have enough schools to choose from.

• We will confirm that your school/setting has been chosen in writing. Please note that due to COVID-19 there may be a short delay in receiving the books. Each set will arrive in an OBP stickered package to allow you to quarantine the books if you wish.

A Q&A with the wonderful charity Read for Good

As anyone who has submitted to the prize will know, the books that aren’t longlisted by our expert team of pre-schoolers and their carers are donated to charity.

If we could, we would showcase each and every book we are sent, as the submissions are always so full of talent and wonder. While in reality this isn’t possible, it’s great to know that those books can still delight readers via the excellent work of Read for Good, who like us are staunch believers in just how far the magic of a book and story can go. 

This year, Read for Good have done even more than take on the mantle of the 2020 OBP cardboard box fort (and the amazing book treasure within it). As we announced last month, this year they are helping us put the money that would have gone into the physical prize-giving ceremony to good use, by using it instead to send a set of the shortlisted books to 150 hospitals (and that many settings can only be reached due to the generosity and support of the amazing publishers of the 2020 shortlist).

As such, we thought it was high time to share more details about this amazing charity and the special work they do. Their impressive roster includes a whopping 35 years of the Readathon, and almost a decade of their books to hospitals programme, which is specifically where the Oscar’s Book Prize books go. This essential project puts books into the hands of children that really need them, giving comfort, reassurance, entertainment and delight to children at a time when they need it most.

Lottie, Bristol Hospital

But enough from us. Here’s Read for Good’s excellent Fundraising and Digital Officer Jo Jeffery, who will explain more…

Jo Jeffery, Fundraising and Digital Officer, Read for Good

Hi Jo, you’re Read for Good’s Fundraising and Digital Officer – please could you tell us a little bit about what you do?

As a busy working Mum I have three wonderful days in the Read for Good office, which is always a hive of activity and ideas! I split my time between making applications to Trusts and Foundations to support our hospital programme in getting books, storytellers and bookcases to 30 children’s hospitals nationwide and curating our social media presence on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

What is your favourite part of your job?

Oh my gosh, so much of it! I love to see schools participating in their Readathons and sharing their successes with the social media world - this is amplified during World Book Day and during our Citywide Readathons where hundreds of schools set the literacy world alight with their mountains of books, activities and general book excitement! Getting feedback about our storytellers is just wonderful too, they bring such joy to children and their families, who are having a very tough time in hospital. The photos we receive remind us that even in the darkest of times joy is possible! 

All of Read for Good’s work stems from a key belief in the power and importance of reading for pleasure in children’s lives. Could you tell us more about why that is?

Ironically, somehow the words ‘reading for pleasure’ are a really inadequate way to describe one of the richest, most powerful experiences in life. Picking up a book, or being read to is transformative in so many ways. So many. Profound things can happen just by reading - building empathy and understanding, experiencing the impossible, travelling to places beyond your imagination, meeting people from all walks of life and getting insight into what makes them tick. For children, well for all of us, these moments are enriching, empowering and rewarding. But best of all, they’re all wrapped up in a great story that makes you want to turn the page. That all this can happen curled up on a sofa with some words on a page is pretty powerful!

Read for Good has some excellent methods to motivate children to read, such as helping others in the Schools project. Do you have any tips for beginning to engage children in reading – even before they can read themselves?

The Read for Good team are the biggest trumpet-blowing, shout-it-from-the-rooftop advocates of children reading for pleasure, whether it be comics or classics, cereal boxes or cake recipes; you name it, we want you to read it … just because it is fun! 

The premise of Read for Good is to allow children to choose the books they want to read, rather than the books we want them to read!  Now this can be any book, comic, audiobook, recipe book, poetry -  anything goes! As you mention children really are motivated by helping other children too - many might have been in hospital themselves, or have a friend who has been in hospital. It is relatable to them and acts as such a positive mechanism for engagement.   

As a parent to two children, the daily bedtime book has always been a part of our routine, just 10 minutes at the end of the day can be everything to instil a joy of reading. And I have books everywhere in my house. My son has always been quite a reluctant reader despite loving books, I wanted him to be surrounded by books so we have book piles and shelves everywhere sparking the literacy love! Also things such as CBeebies Bedtime Stories are a great way to engage children with stories in a playful way. My son has loved hearing stories from actors such as Eddie Redmayne. 

During lockdown, the outpouring of creativity to find ways to get children listening and loving books and stories has been inspiring - what better way to explore the world when stuck inside our own four walls.

How valuable do you find picture books donated by Oscar’s Book Prize and others? Are there any age range or genres of books that work particularly well?

Receiving Oscar’s Book Prize books is like getting the biggest Christmas present! Honestly, it is always so exciting to see the variety of books, their themes, colours and illustrations.  They are often so very tactile too.  We send a huge variety of books to children in hospital - from newborn to sixteen year olds! Often families arrive in hospitals with little with them - when rushing out the house in a panic the last thing you pick up is a book. But the feedback we receive reveals that books like those from OBP - brilliant stories, well told, brimming with colour really do lift the spirits of the children and their families who find themselves in hospital.

As you know, each year we box up an extensive number of fabulous picture books to be sent to Read for Good HQ. Along with other donations from publishers, trusts and grants, they then wend their way to bookcases in hospitals across the UK. Could you take us through the likely steps of their journey? How do you decide which books go where?

It’s always a great moment when your delivery arrives - the whole team is so excited to see the wonderful array of books and stories of offer. We have a committed team of fantastic volunteers who will carefully bookplate each of the books, so that a child in hospital knows the book comes with kindness, and they are sorted into 30 piles, packaged and sent to each one of our 30 hospitals.

When the book parcel arrives in the hospital, we know that all the grown-ups in the room are drawn to see what’s inside. The books are thoughtfully put on Read for Good’s mobile bookcase, which then travels around the wards, right up to a child’s bedside. Books are facing out so that it’s really easy for a child’s eye to be drawn to their book. Our bookcase acts as a library, with children being able to read and book and then choose another one. But children are also able to keep the book.

Sharing a story in hospital is so important - bringing families together and giving them a chance to focus on something other than the situation they are in. The books provide entertainment and distraction for sure, but they also soothe, provide relief, reassurance and comfort. The ripple effects of those books go far and wide.

 The hospital programme you run is the ultimate home for the OBP books – please could you tell us about the amazing impact the books have? How many children and hospitals do you reach with this scheme?

Last year we reached over 190,000 children in our main hospital programme. Our service runs in thirty hospitals nationwide from Truro to Aberdeen and including Belfast. We sent out over 30,000 books, reaching not only the children in hospital but their siblings too - who are often overlooked and are equally as anxious.  One Mum shared such an amazing story with us that I want to pass it on - her son, who is only 6 years old, has had multiple admissions; over 20 operations to be exact. For every operation undergone, her son received a Read for Good book, scribed with the operation number and a little reminder of just how brave he is. These are stored, on his return home, in his Read for Good library - how amazing is that? OBP books really do reach the far corners of a child’s life.

As if your standard hospital programme wasn’t brilliant enough, we’re also thrilled to learn that OBP also directly helps support your new book box scheme, which places brand new books beyond hospitals to a variety of different children's medical settings, including mental health units and hospices. How many settings and children do you reach with this? And what feedback have you had from the children so far? 

This was such an exciting bonus and we were over the moon to be able to roll this programme out. We have reached an additional 4,000 children in over 60 settings nationwide.  The feedback from healthcare professionals about the scheme was overwhelmingly positive and had me in tears! 

“Treatment is long and uncomfortable: these books will be appreciated and enjoyed in what is a difficult time for children and their families. Children receiving proton and radiation therapy relish the opportunity to escape the regulated discomfort and anxiety they experience. We believe that education and personal development through reading can offer a bridge back to normal living, and life on the other side of cancer.“

- Proton Beam Centre, Manchester

 

The OBP donation was fundamental to this scheme being successful and we have secured funding to roll out this programme further.

How do you choose the hospitals and other settings involved? If someone who works in one is reading this and wants to get involved, what are the steps they can take? Can a hospital or other setting ask to join the scheme? How can someone volunteer?

 Our primary programme serves all thirty major children’s hospitals in the UK. We are aware that so many other children’s medical settings would benefit from books. While we cannot promise anything, if someone is interested in a book donation they should register their interest by clicking here (https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/YNB2PDK). If they meet the criteria we will consider their application when we have books available.

Unfortunately we cannot take volunteers on in hospitals ourselves - that is a process and decision managed by each individual hospital. If someone would like to support our charity, there are lots of ways to help here.

Since Read for Good’s work is so focused on schools and hospitals, how have you been affected by the current pandemic? Is there anything we can do to support the charity’s work?

Things are unrecognisable at the moment. Read for Good is a well governed charity, and the prudent decision was taken in April to furlough most of the team. We are definitely still open as far as schools and hospitals are concerned, but of course, they are busy focusing on other things at this time, quite rightly.

Much of our funding for the hospital programme comes from schools running Readathon, and whilst some are doing it remotely, it is not the ideal time to be asking schools and families for donations. We will have to see what the long term impact is. However, we are an optimistic bunch and the nation’s response to the pandemic has been so uplifting. We’re exploring ways to adapt our programmes to meet the coming need.

It is our belief that reading for pleasure will play a really important role in helping our young people to recover from the unquantified impact that Coronavirus is having on their education, social development, mental health and well-being. We hope that Readathon may help school communities come together in the new academic year, united in a common purpose supporting children in hospital, which at the same aids their own pupils' recovery.

And finally, on a personal note, you’re a parent of young children in the lockdown – do you have any book-related tips for entertaining them in these uncharted times?

My son, Harry who is 9, really enjoyed the book scavenger hunt I organised for him! Choosing books with animals in the title, with a name in the title, with a colour in the title, a book of facts - the list was endless! Although be prepared for the tidy up afterwards.

We have also taken advantage of the amazing array of authors and illustrators who have been rallying the troops with reading of their books, daily illustrations classes and general loveliness! I think we ALL need stories right now. The power of escapism a book brings has never been as important as it is now - in all its forms.

Also books make great yoga blocks for Mamas too.

Thanks so much to Jo for taking the time to talk to us, and to all at Read for Good for the wonderful work you do. You can read more about Read for Good’s work www.readforgood.org and their impact https://readforgood.org/impact/.

 

Tad wins Oscar's Book Prize 2020

Benji Davies becomes first person in the seven-year history of Oscar’s Book Prize to win the award for a second time, with Tad, the story of a tadpole who grows up. His victory was announced by HRH Princess Beatrice, the award's patron. The winner was selected from a shortlist by a judging panel including TV and radio presenter Dermot O'Leary and Francesca Simon, writer of the Horrid Henry series. Their thoughts on the winning book can be found here.

Benji is the first person ever to win Oscar’s Book Prize a second time, with his picture story book, Tad. The £5,000 literary award, supported by Amazon and the National Literacy Trust, recognises great storytelling in books for children under five which have been published within the past year. Hear his acceptance speech here.

As both the author and illustrator Benji tells a story of growing up, and his tale follows Tad, the smallest tadpole in a big pond. Worried about being left behind by her brothers and sisters, Tad one day takes a big leap into an adventurous future. See the judges and other Oscar’s Book Prize supporters read the story here. Tad and the other five books on the 2020 shortlist will also be distributed to 150 children’s wards across the UK.

Speaking about his book, Benji Davies said: “Tad’s story is about taking your time to grow up, even though you are the smallest, slowest tadpole in the pond, or if you always feel like you’re at the back. Don’t worry because you will always get there in the end.”

HRH Princess Beatrice, the award’s patron since 2017, announced this year’s winner on the Oscar’s Book Prize website, in a video filmed from her home. The announcement also included endorsements from fellow judges Dermot O’Leary, broadcaster and children’s book author, Francesca Simon, creator of the Horrid Henry children’s book series, Jake Hope, Youth Libraries Group chair, Simon Johnson, Director, Amazon EU Books and Viveka Alvestrand and James Ashton, founders of the award and Oscar’s parents.

Speaking about his win, Benji Davies said:

“To win Oscar’s Book Prize in 2014 with The Storm Whale was an incredible feeling and I am very pleased to have won the Prize for a second time with Tad - I really can’t believe it. When I wrote the story, I wanted it to help small children navigate life in those early years. I couldn’t be prouder.”

Praise for the winning book:

Dermot O’Leary said:

“A wonderful coming of age tale of adventure, and nature.”

Francesca Simon said:

“An absolutely magical picture book, beautifully written, with a subtle message about embracing change and the unknown.”

Jake Hope said:

“The deliciously-named ‘Big Blub’ provides just enough menace to tantalise and tempt readers to turn the page. Readers feel like they have really hopped along on a journey alongside Tad.”

Simon Johnson said:

“Tad has all the qualities of a great book for under-fives. Beautiful artwork, a loveable hero character and a narrative we can all relate to.”

Viveka Alvestrand said:

“This is a story about the inevitability of change and the unknown, and how these can feel scary but also ultimately lead to new adventures. Beautifully told in words and pictures that transport you into the book, so you become a part of the story.”

James Ashton said:

“This beautifully-drawn story of growing up and gaining confidence is full of poetic language.”

So congratulations to Benji once again and to everyone on this year’s amazing shortlist. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we did!