Meet the Shortlist 2024: Geoffrey Gets the Jitters by Nadia Shireen (Puffin)

We can’t believe it, but it’s already time to explore our fifth and final book! And if that makes you anxious, don’t worry, because Geoffrey Gets the Jitters is a book which understands!

Written and illustrated by the incredible Nadia Shireen, and published by Puffin, Geoffrey Gets the Jitters is all about a little dog with a big problem with his worries. Please read on to find out more!

What is the book about?

Geoffrey's got the jitters! It started last night when he was thinking about school - a funny, wiggly feeling in his tummy that grew and grew. But when Geoffrey's tummy jitters started talking to him - that's when he knew they were out of control. Geoffrey had to do something...

Through a laugh-out-loud story and loveable character, Nadia Shireen shows how to understand and dispel anxieties, one jitter at a time.

What Our Judges Said:

'I really liked the practicality of this book – and it definitely puts the fun in feeling nervous’. 

‘This is such a nice way of tackling this topic, and a very good way of explaining anxiety, with great humour and a really good use of absurdity.’

‘The animal characters lift the story outside of reality making this safe and accessible.'

'Loved the illustrations, and the random things, too!'

We were lucky enough that author & illustrator Nadia kindly answered some of our questions about Geoffrey - please read on to find out more about Nadia, and what she said! Thank you, Nadia!

About Nadia Shireen:

Nadia Shireen enjoyed making homemade magazines and comics as a child. She studied law at university and then worked in magazine journalism; it was during this time that she started to draw again. After a lifetime of doodling in the sidelines, Nadia decided to pay some attention to drawing and in 2007 was accepted onto an MA course in Children's Book Illustration at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Her debut book Good Little Wolf received a mention in the Bologna Ragazzi Opera Prima Award and won the UKLA Book Award. Nadia has been shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. She lives in London.

Nadia’s Q&A:

What is the picture book that have you enjoyed reading with someone else most, and why?

I have wonderful memories of reading “Oh No, George!” by Chris Haughton to my now not-so-little-boy. It’s so simple and funny and I love how Chris packs is SO much tension and humour in such a stylish, elegant way. It’s genius!

What's your favourite thing about the character in your shortlisted book?

All my characters reflect a different part of me, and Geoffrey is no exception. I’ve always been a worrier, and as a child would get frequent “tummy aches” which were borne of anxiety. And like Geoffrey, I do enjoy wearing woolly hats.

Which picture book would you give as a gift to your main character, and why?

I think Geoffrey could do with having a laugh, so I’d give him a copy of A Duck Called Brian by Al Murphy, which is a very funny and weird little picture book.

 

Thank you so much, Nadia! Good luck to you, and all of our shortlist for next week’s big reveal!

Meet the Shortlist 2024: Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf by Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin (Little Tiger)

We’re starting a brand new week by shining a spotlight on our fourth shortlisted title for 2024: so watch out, woodcutters, because Gina Kaminski has some different ideas (and our judging panel loved them!).

Please read on to find out more about Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf by Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin (Little Tiger).

What is the book about?

Gina Kaminski is here to tell you three facts.

1 – Little Red Riding Hood is full of BIG mistakes.
2 – She is off to fairy tale land to fix them.
3 – She WILL save the wolf.

So….who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? Certainly not Gina, as she tells the story in her own distinctive way. With fantastic illustrations and an innovative use of pictorial emoji language, this is the ideal book to empower every child to be the hero of their own story. 

What Our Judges Said:

'It’s so easy and engaging to read out loud - and the fantastic humour works on so many levels’

‘Love that Gina identifies with and feels for the wolf.'

'Great to see an autistic lead character, a great opportunity for children to recognise themselves.’

‘Works for many different ages of children, with great repeat readability. I thought it was very clever, and the fab illustrations are different. Fun, funny and subversive.'

Please read on to find out more about the book’s creators, and to read a Q&A from Craig Barr-Green (thank you so much, Craig and Francis!)

About Craig Barr-Green:

Craig writes picture books, non-fiction titles and theatre productions for children. He lectures in Children’s Literature at Falmouth University and is a seasoned children’s bookseller. He often performs storytelling shows at festivals, and set up Clickety Books, a small press dedicated to early language development. Craig is a passionate advocate for children’s literacy and neurodivergent representation.

About Francis Martin: 

Francis Martin is an illustrator and artist living out in the wilds of Pendle Witch Country, conjuring up pictures for stories by splodging ink and charcoal all over the place. He is a graduate of Cambridge School of Art’s MA in Children’s Book Illustration, who in another life did five BBC Radio 1 John Peel sessions. He loves dogs and travelling across the moors in trains.

Craig’s Q&A:

What is the picture book that have you enjoyed reading with someone else most, and why?

I would choose The Happy Hedgehog Band, written (brilliantly) by Martin Waddell and illustrated (beautifully) by Jill Barton. I have read and shared this book with children and with adults alike and the results have always been delightfully raucous.

The story follows Harry, a noise-loving Hedgehog who lives deep in the heart of Dickon Woods. He makes a drum and bangs ‘tum-te-tum’. Very soon more hedgehogs join in with drums of their own to create a super groovy happy hedgehog band. But what about the other woodland animals? And the insects? And the spider? And that lost dog? They haven’t got any instruments! Harry has a great idea. The rest is a joyous, exuberant cacophony of clicking and buzzing and popping and every sound you can imagine.

This is a book that has everything. It is a hymn to community, and inclusion and collaboration and art. Every creature has a role to play. This is a book in which everyone wins, and everyone is considered.  The page design is stunning, and as such there is no one (or correct) way to read the story. The words and the images interweave into what the great Alan Ahlberg called a ‘nice kind of antiphonal fugue effect.’ The storyteller can be as flamboyant as they wish. Children are compelled to join in by the generosity of the book’s spirit. There is wordplay and list building and unabashed glee. My dear colleague Rupert shared this book with me years ago and I shall be forever grateful.

What's your favourite thing about each character in your shortlisted book? 

Gina Kaminski is bold and inquisitive. My favourite thing about her is how she challenges, in her own way, what she sees as unacceptable. I had always wanted to write an exciting, thundering picturebook adventure with a main character who was also autistic. I wrote many story drafts, but it just wasn’t clicking. Then one day I started writing in a completely different voice — something more direct and honest — and Gina immediately sprang to life on the page. She appeared fully formed and I could have written thousands of words in her voice. My first draft was much too long as I was revelling in this sparky, joyous character. I just love her absolute sincerity. It was a profound moment for me, as a writer, to sit back from the laptop, and look at this character on the screen and think: this is my hero. She is everything I wanted her to be.

Lady Wiggles is a loyal friend. Plus she is adorable, right? Fun fact: Lady Wiggles was a quick first draft placeholder name. Somehow, after so much time and so many drafts: the name remained. 

Anya is the quiet hero: decisive and sensitive. That’s my favourite thing about her. I desperately wanted to shine a well-deserved spotlight on the teaching staff who make school-life safe, achievable and rewarding - the professionals whose work can be unsung and undervalued. A skilled one-to-one is a lifeline for many children, and hey help extremely worried parents and guardians sleep at night.

The Wolf gets saved and that’s only correct. My favourite thing about him is that in my head he speaks in Alan Rickman’s voice. It’s the only impression I can do with any degree of accuracy.

I adore The Woodcutter’s ridiculous pomposity. I could monologue in his voice forever. Francis Martin utterly captured his essence in his illustrations.

Which picture book would you give as a gift to your main character, and why?

Were the book real, I would love to gift Gina Kaminski her very own copy of The Big Book of Wolves. She adored this book! I would, however, be confident that she would similarly love I Wonder Where I Am? Written and illustrated by Shinuske Yoshitake, this book is an absolute wonder. It is a book about maps, in their myriad forms, but at its heart is a book about making sense of the chaos that the road, and everyday life, can bring. Simon’s mum gives him a map to guide him to the shops. Unfortunately he gets confused by the instructions. Luckily, Mrs Gray is on hand to make some key adjustments. Now everything makes sense! He is enchanted by the power of a good map, so sets off on a voyage of map-based discovery. He encounters, with boundless curiosity, maps of his room, the shopping mall, the solar system, the earth, watches… everything. Maps are a way to display and impart all kinds of meaning. His journey then winds into the abstract. Can we map time, or our wants and needs. This book would hugely appeal to Gina. It’s an interrogation of life’s more infuriating unknowables. It seeks to create a sense of order. It asks big questions. The illustrations make huge ideas feels simple, and logical. There is wit in the micro details. Above all it is charming, clever and sincere (even if Simon is a bit cheeky to his mum). Inventive, creative non-fiction like this is thrilling. It has a freewheeling sense of adventure but is still anchored in a quest for organisation, and order. For all of the above, I would love Gina to have this book in her backpack at all times. I am sure she could make some wonderful maps of her own.

Meet the Shortlist 2024: When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Zehra Hicks (Frances Lincoln Children's Books)

Raarrrrr - it’s time to take a closer look at the next title in our shortlist line-up: When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Zehra Hicks (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books).

This ROAR-some adventure takes us back to prehistoric times and well and truly stomped its way onto the shortlist. Please read on to find out more!

What is the book about?

Set back in the days …well, when dinosaurs walked the Earth, this is a hilarious picture-book about Smallasaurus, who enjoys a plant-based diet, and Badasaurus, who likes to eat small dinosaurs who enjoy a plant-based diet. What could possibly happen next?

What our judges said:

'This story is really impactful for a younger audience, and reading it to a group would be brilliant.’

'Very funny, with lovely illustrations that are drawn for everyone, and a simple and clever story’. 

‘We love that readers don't need to be an expert on dinosaurs to enjoy this.’

‘You could read this book again and again.’

And to illustrate (sorry) the point, here’s a special drawing from Zehra Hicks celebrating this book’s place on our shortlist! Thank you so much, Zehra!

Please read on to find out more about the books’ creators, and to read their Q&As (thank you so much Sean and Zehra for so kindly answering!)

About Sean:

Sean Taylor is an award-winning author of over 50 books for young readers of many different ages. As well as writing, he has many years’ experience visiting schools, where he works with poetry and storytelling to encourage young people to write themselves. He lives with his wife and two sons in Bristol. www.seantaylorstories.com

Sean’s Q&A answers:

What is the picture book that have you enjoyed reading with someone else most, and why?

There are so very many picture books that are a delight to read with others for so very many different reasons. But I’ll chose Frog is a Hero by Dutch author/illustrator Max Velthuijs. His series of picture books about Frog and friends is dramatic, funny, truthful, satisfying and simple all at once. My kids were drawn into the small-child-friendly world of these stories, so we read them together again and again. And I sense that their engagement with the small-child-friendly difficulties explored in the Frog stories is still active and helpful inside them, even though they’re teenagers now.

What's your favourite thing about each character in your shortlisted book?

When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth features a number of big, hungry dinosaurs. They’re antagonists who wander into the tale and make it a page-turning adventure. The focal point of the story is a little dinosaur called Smallasaurus. And my favourite thing about her is her littleness. She’s a young child, mainly interested in having breakfast. And, like any young child, she’s learning about the big, wide (wild) world. Vincent Van Gogh said: “An artist needn’t be a clergyman or a church warden, but he certainly must have a warm heart for his fellow men.” And that’s a clue to what I like about Smallasaurus’s littleness, and also a clue to what makes a good picture book story. You start with warm heartedness for young children. 

Which picture book would you give as a gift to your main character, and why?

I would give Smallasaurus The Sea Monster by Chris Wormwell. It’s an enchantingly beautiful picture book, both visually and narratively. Those are reasons enough to gift it to anyone. But Smallasaurus gets it because she keeps on finding herself in danger from big dinosaurs coming out of the blue! And The Sea Monster has a deeply reassuring message about fear, and big things coming of the blue. I think she’ll enjoy her breakfast of sweet and juicy ferns all the more if she’s read The Sea Monster the night before.

About Zehra:

Zehra Hicks is an award-winning children's book author and illustrator whose books have been translated in over 20 languages around the world. Zehra does love a bit of humour, so most of her picture books are guaranteed to make you chuckle. Zehra is also a tutor at Chelsea College of Arts, where she completed a short course in Book Illustration in 2009. Since then, she has been highly commended for the Macmillan Prize for Illustration, winner of the Heart of Hawick Award, named Lovereading4Kids Debut of the Year in 2011, shortlisted for the Read It Again! Cambridgeshire Children's Picture Book Award and nominated for the Kate Greenaway.

 Zehra’s Q&A answers:

The picture book I enjoyed reading the most, hmmm, is tricky to choose! But it must have to be You Choose by Nick Sharratt and Pippa Goodhart. The proof is in how dog-eared it is! I read it again and again to my children, and it was a book we all loved. I loved how it created conversations between us and how interactive it was, spotting new things every time. It’s funny too. 

My favourite thing about each character in my short-listed book is the names the author, Sean Taylor, gives them: Smallasaurus, Badasaurus and Worseasaurus – you can’t get more simply descriptive than that! And how he tells us how big (or small) their brains are – being as small as a walnut or a peanut – the brains getting smaller as the -sauruses get bigger which adds to the comedy of their characters. It was very much the comedy of these characters that made me immediately jump at Sean’s text thinking - YES! I REALLY want to illustrate this book!

The picture book I would give as a gift to Badasaurus could be a book about being less greedy and more kind, so I think he could learn from the book Kind, written by Alison Green, illustrated by lots of wonderful (and kind) illustrators. Or perhaps T-Veg by Smriti Halls and Katherina Manolessou - where who knows, this book might inspire him to be a vegetarian.

Thank you so much, Zehra and Sean!

Meet the Shortlist 2024: The Hare-Shaped Hole by John Dougherty, illustrated by Thomas Docherty (Frances Lincoln Children's Books)

It’s time for our spotlight on our second shortlisted book!

Next up is the fantastic Hare-Shaped Hole by John Dougherty, illustrated by Thomas Docherty (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books).

This is a moving story about friendship and loss, which found a special place in our judging panels’ hearts. Please read on to find out why!

What is the book about?

They were utterly buddies, and best friends forever, and whenever you looked, you would find them together... until quite unexpectedly... the end came. When Hertle disappears for good, Bertle can only see a Hertle-shaped hole where his friend should be.

He pleads with it, he even gets angry with it, but the hole still won't bring his Hertle back. It seems like hope is lost... until Gerda the kindly bear finds him.

What our Judges said:

'A lovely and important story.'

'While I appreciate that it is a very sad story, it's an important book to have.’

‘This is particularly good in the way that it talks about different reactions to grief. It contains useful themes to be able to show to children, and start conversations about.'

'One of my favourites. It is very difficult to tackle this topic without being saccharine, especially in a space where it can be difficult to be honest. I thought it was really well done.' 

And here’s a treat - a special illustration of the characters for OBP! Thank you so much, Thomas!

Please read on to find out more about the books’ creators, and to read their Q&As (thank you so much John and Thomas for so kindly answering!)

About John Dougherty:

John Dougherty was born in Larne, Northern Ireland, and not many years later they made him go to school – an experience he didn’t find entirely enjoyable. Fortunately, the joys of reading helped him through the difficult times. It’s therefore not completely surprising that when he grew up he became first a teacher (the nice sort), and then a writer of stories and poetry for children. He also writes songs, some of which he performs with First Draft, a band made up of three children’s authors and a bookseller. He now lives in England with his two children.

John’s answers:

What is the picture book that have you enjoyed reading with someone else most, and why? Oh, gosh. There’ve been many, but if I have to choose one, it’ll probably have to be the obvious one: The Grufflalo by (of course) Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler. Both my children loved it when little; my son, at age three, asked for it so many times he could recite the whole thing by heart - and yet, thanks to the perfect poetry of the text and the sheer fun of the illustrations, I never got tired of it. It’s such a joy to read aloud; in my view, if children’s literature was accorded the respect it deserves in the UK, Julia Donaldson would be universally recognised as the genius she is.

What's your favourite thing about each character in your shortlisted book? Am I allowed to say the illustrations? I love how Thomas has brought out Bertle’s honesty and vulnerability about his feelings, Hertle’s kindness, and the friendship and sense of fun they share, as well as Gerda’s warmth, wisdom and compassion.

Which picture book would you give as a gift to your main character, and why? Michael Rosen’s Sad Book, without a doubt. It would help Bertle - as, I have absolutely no doubt, it’s helped thousands of children - to know that however he’s feeling, that’s okay; and it’s okay to show those feelings, too.

About Thomas Docherty:

Thomas Docherty is an author and illustrator of children's books, who is based in Swansea. His first picture book, The Little Boat was shortlisted for the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal, and he has also worked on several books with his wife Helen Docherty, including The Snatchabook, The Knight Who Wouldn’t Fight and Pirate Nell’s Tale To Tell. His books have been sold around the world and have been translated into more than 25 languages.

 

Thomas’ answers:

What is the picture book that have you enjoyed reading with someone else most, and why?
Like John, I read so many picture books with our two daughters when they were little, it’s almost impossible to choose! One absolute favourite was Leon and Bob by Simon James. It has the most exquisite storytelling and a perfect balance between the artwork and the text. I can’t think of many books where you connect so strongly with the character and no matter how many times you read it, the ending is always a delight. It used to make our girls laugh and smile every time.

What's your favourite thing about each character in your shortlisted book?
I love the unconditional friendship that Bertle and Hertle have. When you really love someone for who they are, any superficial differences become unimportant, which comes across in John’s wonderful text. I tried to put that into the illustrations as well, making Hertle bright and energetic and Bertle more cautious and quiet. I really enjoyed drawing Bertle’s big, red glasses and showing all the emotions he feels as the story develops. 

Which picture book would you give as a gift to your main character, and why?
I would like to give Bertle Mum’s Jumper by Jayde Perkin. It’s a very tender and thoughtful book about coping with loss. I think it would help anyone who is going through a similar experience and I think it would help Bertle too.

Meet the Shortlist 2024: Gigantic by Rob Biddulph

It’s time to find out more about our sensational shortlist!

Our first shortlisted book to go under the spotlight (or should that be under the sea?) is Gigantic by Rob Biddulph, published by HarperCollins Children’s Books. This story about a little whale made a massive splash (sorry) with our judges. Please read on to find out why…

Gigantic by Rob Biddulph (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

What is the book about?

Meet Gigantic, the smallest blue whale in the Atlantic. Dwarfed by the other whales, Gigantic keeps to himself, making new friends and perfecting his somersaults and flips in the bay. But one day when Gigantic’s brother, Titan, gets stuck on the sand, it’s down to Gigantic and his smallest sea creature friends to save the day. Can they show it’s possible to be tiny and tough?

What the judges said:

'Really good rhymes!’

‘I liked it because during or after reading you can talk about two elements to it: kindness to siblings, and messages about the environment.’

 ‘This is deceptively simple. There is far more going on that you might realise on first reading.’

 ‘Great illustrations.'

About the author:

Rob Biddulph is an award-winning author and illustrator who lives in London with his wife, daughters and Ringo the cocker spaniel. 

Before life as a published author and illustrator, Rob worked on magazines including Just Seventeen, NME and The Observer Magazine. His first picture book, Blown Away, published in 2014, was only the second picture book to win the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize.  

Rob’s series of #Draw with Rob videos, designed to help parents with children at home from school due to the pandemic, became a viral hit when launched in March 2020. The videos – featuring many of Rob’s own book characters – have captured the imaginations of families, children and artists, young and old, around the world and been watched almost six million times on YouTube alone. Rob holds the Guinness World Record for the biggest art lesson when over 40,000 families joined him online to draw a whale in May 2020. 

Rob Biddulph

And last but certainly not least, here’s a quick Q&A with Rob:

What is the picture book that have you enjoyed reading with someone else most, and why?
My favourite stories to read with my own children were rhyming stories because, even before they could read, my girls were able to learn the words, like you learn the words to a song. That meant that, quite often, they would 'read' the book to me rather than the other way around, which I loved. Good rhyming stories, however, are quite hard to find because they are very hard to write (I should know!) and there is a reason why Dr Seuss and Julia Donaldson are so popular - because their rhymes are flawless. So I would say The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and Stick Man were our favourites, and were certainly right at the top of my list of go-to bedtime story choices.

What's your favourite thing about each character in your shortlisted book?

I love Gigantic the whale's relentless positivity in the face of some pretty mean treatment from his big brother, Titan. Despite everything, he doesn't hesitate to reassure Titan when he gets into trouble and does everything he can to help. And he certainly doesn't hold grudges. He is also someone who is totally comfortable in his own skin, despite being the smallest whale in the pod. He is perfectly happy with who he is. A very admirable trait, I think. What I love most about Myrtle the turtle is her open-heartedness. She doesn't judge Gigantic based on the size of his body, but on the size of his heart. She is very happy to be a loyal friend to him at a time when he really needs one.

Which picture book would you give as a gift to your main character, and why?

I would choose This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen. It's my favourite underwater story and I think Gigantic would appreciate the cautionary nature of the tale. Plus I think the hat in the story would suit him.

This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen (Walker Books)

Thank you so much, Rob - and good luck!

Oscar’s Book Prize 2024: our shortlist

We're absolutely delighted to announce our shortlist for this year’s Prize. 

A fabulous five titles have made the shortlist this year - and each one is brim-filled with treats for young readers. Featuring anxious dogs, hungry dinosaurs, subverted fairy tales, a grief-stricken turtle and a tiny blue whale, the story themes range from loss and hope to facing fears to .... well, to what to eat in prehistoric times.

Here's a little bit more about the shortlist:

Geoffrey Gets The Jitters by Nadia Shireen

(Penguin Random House Children’s – Puffin)

Geoffrey's got the jitters! It started last night when he was thinking about school - a funny, wiggly feeling in his tummy that grew and grew. But when Geoffrey's tummy jitters started talking to him - that's when he knew they were out of control. Geoffrey had to do something...

Gigantic by Bob Biddulph (HarperCollins Children's Books)

Meet Gigantic, the smallest blue whale in the Atlantic. Dwarfed by the other whales, Gigantic keeps to himself, making new friends and perfecting his somersaults and flips in the bay. But one day when Gigantic’s brother, Titan, gets stuck on the sand, it’s down to Gigantic and his smallest sea creature friends to save the day. Can they show it’s possible to be tiny and tough?

Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf by Craig Barr-Green and Francis Martin

(Little Tiger)

Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? Certainly not Gina as she takes the narrative lead and tells the story in her own distinctive way. With fantastic illustrations from Francis Martin, and an innovative use of pictorial emoji language, this is the ideal book to empower every child to be the hero of their own story. 

The Hare-Shaped Hole by John Dougherty and Thomas Docherty (Frances Lincoln Children's Books)

They were utterly buddies, and best friends forever, and whenever you looked, you would find them together... until quite unexpectedly... the end came. When Hertle disappears for good, Bertle can only see a Hertle-shaped hole where his friend should be. He pleads with it, gets angry with it, but the hole still won't bring his Hertle back. It seems like hope is lost... until Gerda the kindly bear finds him.

When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth by Sean Taylor and Zehra Hicks

(Frances Lincoln Children's Books)

Set back in the days WHEN DINOSAURS WALKED THE EARTH, this is a hilarious picture-book about Smallasaurus, who enjoys a plant-based diet, and Badasaurus who likes to eat small dinosaurs who enjoy a plant-based diet.

We will be posting more information about each shortlisted book in the weeks to come - please do follow us on @oscarsbookprize to find out more! You can also view the full shortlist alongside a wide selection of children’s books on Amazon's dedicated page:  amazon.co.uk/oscarsbookprize.

Huge congratulations to all of our shortlisted authors, illustrators and their publishers - and thank you for creating such outstanding books!

Thank you too to everyone who entered - as ever we feel truly humbled by the breadth of talent we're lucky enough to see each year.

Judges Announced for Oscar's Book Prize 2024 as Prize unveils inaugural Oscar’s Book Club

Oscar’s Book Prize is delighted today to announce its amazing 2024 Judges - as well as reveal Oscar’s Book Club, a new venture designed to inspire and encourage reading with children at a grass-roots level.

Now in its eleventh year, the prize, which is supported by Amazon and the Evening Standard, was set up by James Ashton and Viveka Alvestrand to celebrate magical stories for children in memory of their son Oscar, who was three-and-a-half when he died from a heart condition in December 2012. The £10,000 prize seeks to find the best breakout illustrated book for young children, inspired by Oscar’s endless imagination and love of storytelling.

This year, for the first time, Amazon is also teaming up with Oscar’s Book Prize to create Oscar’s Book Club, which aims to reach children in areas with typically low engagement with the arts. Throughout April and May, the Amazon Reading Volunteers, a national network of schools volunteers that Amazon has been growing since September 2023, will be donating the Oscar’s Book Prize shortlisted books to schools and nurseries across the country and supporting on the ground with group reading sessions, to inspire young children through the magic of reading.

Oscar’s Book Prize has also announced their judging panel for 2024. This year’s panel comprises of librarian Zoey Dixon, who was named Librarian of the Year in 2020 as well as one of The Bookseller’s Rising Stars. Zoey is joined by children’s author and illustrator, and Oscar’s Book Prize alumnus Chris Haughton, who won the prize in 2022. Completing the lineup is Viveka Alvestrand, who co-founded the literary award in memory of her son Oscar, and Lisa de Meyer, the UK Books Country Manager at Amazon.co.uk.

HRH Princess Beatrice is patron of Oscar's Book Prize, which is supported by Amazon Books and Evening Standard. Submissions closed in January and the shortlist will be revealed in April, before the winner is announced in May 2024. 

James Ashton, the prize's chairman and co-founder, said: “We've championed brilliant picture books for a decade and always encouraged parents, carers and children to dive into these stories together, so I'm delighted this year we can extend Oscar's Book Prize into Oscar's Book Club, reaching more young readers than ever as we deepen our relationship with Amazon.”

Lisa de Meyer, Country Manager for Amazon UK Books, said: “It’s always a joy to work with Oscar’s Book Prize each year to celebrate the best talent in children’s literature. Picturebooks are a vehicle for teaching children about themselves and the world around them, and I know from personal experience with my own daughter how special our time reading together is. It’s because of this that we’re so proud to support the prize and also work together to roll out Oscar’s Book Club through our Amazon Reading Volunteers. We hope that through this new initiative, we can inspire a whole new generation of book lovers together.”

About Oscar’s Book Prize

Oscar’s Book Prize is an annual prize for the best illustrated book for young children. 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 and the Evening Standard, the prize has been running since 2014.

Previous winners of the prize include:

2023: The Boy with Flowers in His Hair by Jarvis(Walker Books)

2022: Maybe…  by Chris Haughton (Walker Books)

2021: The Littlest Yak by Lu Fraser and Kate Hindley (Simon & Schuster)

2020: Tad by Benji Davies (HarperCollins)

2019: How To Be a Lion by Ed Vere (Puffin)

2018: There’s a Pig Up My Nose by John Dougherty and Laura Hughes (Egmont)

2017: The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright and Jim Field (Orchard Books)

2016: The Cow Who Climbed A Tree by Gemma Merino (Macmillan Children’s Books)

2015: The Queen’s Hat by Steve Antony (Hodder Children’s Books)

2014: The Storm Whale by Benji Davies (Simon & Schuster)

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

About Amazon.co.uk

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Oscars Book Prize 2024 is now open!

Hurrah! Today sees the very best surprise behind the first advent calendar door, because we’re delighted to announce that Oscar's Book Prize is now open!

We will be accepting entries from publishers until 5pm on Monday 15th January 2024.

To find out what’s eligible please see our Enter page for the link to the digital entry form, and to read the Terms and Conditions.

We can’t wait to see what this year has in store!

Everything you wanted to know about The Boy with Flowers in His Hair...

Things are over for another year here at OBP! However, we’re still far too excited about our winner to wrap things up just yet.

There is so much we could say about this fantastic book - but of course, the very best people to do that are our incredible judges.

As such, without further ado, here’s why they chose it in their own words!

Thank you so much once again to Dapo Adeola, Benji Davies, Cressida Cowell, Viveka Alvestrand and Lisa de Meyer for choosing such fabulous books throughout our judging process.

However - their expertise doesn’t just stop at choosing books (or, of course, writing and illustrating them). It turns out that our judges are dab hands at reading them, too! Please enjoy this year’s very special, Jackanory-style reading of The Boy with Flowers in His Hair, brought to you by our judging panel, and our Patron, HRH Princess Beatrice.

...And the 2023 winner is.....

And - that’s a wrap! While the Royal Coronation has been and gone, we’re now delighted to crown our tenth winner: The Boy with Flowers in His Hair by Jarvis (Walker Books). You can read all about the book that the judges called ‘gorgeous’ and sensitive’ in the press release below. Expect more on Jarvis - and this outstanding story of acceptance and friendship - in the days to come.

We would like to thank everyone involved in the Prize this year for making this year so special, not in the least our sponsor, partners - and of course our stellar judges. We also want to reiterate our sincere and warmest congratulations to all of our shortlistees and their publishing teams, whose talent and hard work have created such special stories. Please do read and share them, if you haven’t already, and help us celebrate these amazing picture books!

Oscar’s Books Prize 2023: Winner release

HRH Princess Beatrice reveals the 2023 winner of Oscar’s Book Prize as it celebrates its tenth anniversary 

London, UK, 10 May 2023: HRH Princess Beatrice announced the winner of this year’s Oscar’s Book Prize at an awards ceremony in central London yesterday evening. The Prize, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2023 and is supported by Amazon and the Evening Standard, chose The Boy With Flowers In His Hair by the accomplished author and illustrator Jarvis as the winner. This stunning book topped the shortlist of six magical stories to take home the £10,000 literary prize.

The Boy With Flowers In His Hair (Walker Books) is a beautiful tale about friendship and being there for someone when they are at their most vulnerable. The Manchester-based author and illustrator has also released several other children’s books, including the counting book This Little Piggy and award winning Alan’s Big, Scary Teeth. 

Upon winning, Jarvis said: “I could not be more delighted to have won this year’s Oscar’s Book Prize, and taking a look around the room and the incredibly talented authors and illustrators also shortlisted, it truly is an honour. The award is about celebrating joy in children’s books, and I am so pleased that my book, which focuses on poignant issues surrounding vulnerability and friendship, has been received so well.”

This year’s shortlist for the Prize included Billy and the Pirates by Nadia Shireen (Penguin Random House Children’s - Puffin), Can I Play? by Nicola Kinnear (Alison Green - Scholastic), Frank and Bert by Chris Naylor Ballesteros (Nosy Crow), Teapot Trouble: A Duck and Tiny Horse Adventure by Morag Hood (Two Hoots) and The Gecko and the Echo by Rachel Bright and Jim Field (Hachette Children’s Group - Orchard).

Many of this year’s judging panel joined the award ceremony held at The Ivy, West Street in central London, including author and two-time winner of Oscar’s Book Prize, Benji Davies, acclaimed children’s author, Cressida Cowell, Amazon’s UK Books Country Manager, Lisa De Meyer and the Prize co-founder, Viveka Alvestrand.

HRH Princess Beatrice said: ‘I am honoured to be the Patron of Oscar’s Book Prize. As befits this special tenth anniversary for the prize, the panel have chosen a truly unique book that the judges all felt is an instant modern classic. Its values of friendship and acceptance exemplify the very best tropes in picture book storytelling, all told with a gentle magic that creates a wonderfully immersive world for its readers. It is also, in the OBP tradition, beautifully illustrated. Congratulations to Jarvis and his book The Boy with Flowers in His Hair’.

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

Lisa de Meyer, Amazon UK Books Country Manager, said: “It is exciting to continue to support Oscar’s Book Prize as it reaches its tenth year. It’s important to be able to engage children with vibrant illustrations and moving stories and Jarvis has done this perfectly with this year’s winning book. We can’t wait to see what else Jarvis has in store!”

Our final Meet the Judges 2023: Lisa de Meyer

Our final judge Q&A is with Amazon UK’s Books Country Manager, Lisa de Meyer, who brings her expert eye to selecting the prize shortlist for a second year.

On the eve of announcing our tenth winner, please enjoy our final judge’s comments on her own reading journey, and find out what she was looking for in a winner. We wonder if it gives a clue about what the panel might have chosen? As ever, we give our judges enormous thanks and respect for making that difficult choice!

Lisa, for that and your answers below, thank you!

What is your earliest reading memory?

It was reading with my parents and grandparents. I remember vividly the picture books my grandparents would read me when I went to stay with them.  

Who is (or was) your all-time favourite person to read picture books with?

I love reading with my daughter, who is nearly three years old, and introducing her to all the characters I used to read about, such as Peter Rabbit, Elmer and Paddington, as well as discovering new books together, our current favourites are the Luna loves… series by Joseph Coelho and illustrated by Fiona Lumbers. She loves ‘reading’ the books herself too, it is amazing to see her imagination make up a story as she uses the pictures at prompts!

Who or what do you consider to be the best picture book character ever, and why?

This is hard, but for nostalgic reasons, my favourite are Alfie & Annie-Rose from the books by Shirley Hughes.

Oscar's Book Prize celebrates the very best picture books. What sort of stories are you hoping to discover while judging this year's shortlist?

I was hoping to discover books which speak to a child’s imagination, humour and have a sense of fun! Last year’s winner Maybe, by Chris Haughton, did exactly that!

Chris Haughton and Maybe! at last year’s winner ceremony

Shortlist Spotlight: Can I Play by by Nicola Kinnear (Scholastic)

It’s time for another look at one of our illustrious shortlist and this time it’s Can I Play by Nicola Kinnear. It was described as ‘a beautiful example of the different kinds of friendship that exist in childhood’ - but here’s judge Dapo Adeola to tell us more about this wonderful book:

About Nicola Kinnear

Nicola Kinnear is an illustrator, author, storyteller, designer and maker and is one of the brightest new stars of children’s illustration. Nicola studied at Kingston University on the Illustration Animation BA and her bestselling debut picture book, A LITTLE BIT BRAVE, was an international hit.  CAN I PLAY is her fourth book with Alison Green Books. As well as creating her own books, Nicola has been commissioned to illustrate sequels to Peter Rabbit. Nicola gravitates towards the magical and whimsical in her work and is greatly inspired by nature and folklore. Nicola lives in South London. You can find her online www.nicolakinnear.com

Nicola says…

What is the picture book that have you enjoyed reading with someone else most, and why?

I love reading any book to my niece and nephew, Gwen and Felix. But recently Felix has really enjoyed reading Bunnies on the Bus” by Philip Ardagh and Ben Mantle. He finds it so funny and enjoys looking at the gorgeous illustrations and hunts for the little side story with the “naughty robbers”. It's great to see him enjoying it so much.

What's your favourite thing about each character in Can I Play?

My favourite thing about Pebble is how happy and friendly she is. She also reminds me of when I was younger - the annoying little sister that just wants to join in with my older siblings!

My favourite thing about George is when he learns that it’s fun to have a friend, even if they’re a little bit different like Pebble. 

Which picture book would you give as a gift to George and Pebble,and why?

I think I would give George and Pebble, A Mouse Called Julian by Joe Todd-Stanton. It’s another story about unlikely friendships that might help them learn to enjoy each other's friendship more. 

Shortlist Spotlight: Billy and the Pirates by Nadia Shireen (Penguin)

Next up under our Shortlist Spotlight is Billy and the Pirates by Nadia Shireen. Described as a ‘really funny book’ with ‘great characters’ - here’s judge and OBP founder Viveka Alvestrand with more on this brilliant book:

And look! Nadia was even kind enough to draw us a special Oscar’s Book Prize Billy sketch. Learn all about Nadia and Billy in our special shortlist Q&A.

About Nadia Shireen

Nadia Shireen enjoyed making homemade magazines and comics as a child. She studied law at university and then worked in magazine journalism; it was during this time that she started to draw again. After a lifetime of doodling in the sidelines, Nadia decided to pay some attention to drawing and in 2007 was accepted onto an MA course in Children's Book Illustration at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Her debut book Good Little Wolf received a mention in the Bologna Ragazzi Opera Prima Award and won the UKLA Book Award. Nadia has been shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. She lives in Brighton.

Nadia Says…

What is the picture book that have you enjoyed reading with someone else most, and why?

Obviously I love looking at picture books because of my job, but there were a few I returned to again and again with my son. I probably initially picked up Anteaters to Zebras by Alan Fletcher because he was such a legendary graphic designer, but when my son was very small he became utterly obsessed with it! My copy sustained many creases and torn pages, signs of a well-loved book. Other bedtime favourites were Oh No, George! by Chris Haughton, How To Hide a Lion by Helen Stephens, MOUK by Marc Boutavant and Going To The Volcano by Andy Stanton and Miguel Ordonez. All of these books were beloved by him but also entertaining and considered enough to stand up to a lot of re-reading by a very tired person (me!)

 

Do you have a favourite character in Billy and the Pirates?

 Hmm, I’m not sure I do because I’m so fond of all the new characters we meet. I mean, my love for Billy and Fatcat is eternal, obviously. But it was also fun to draw Captain Howl, because he’s quite a scary baddie on some pages, and then such a trembling scarcedy-wolf on others. I suppose Colin the Kraken has a “key” role in the story, and I enjoy his extremely dramatic entrance!

 

Which picture book would you give as a gift to Billy?

I think she’d love Wolves by Emily Gravett, which is a total classic. And then maybe I’d add Gustavo the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z Drago, The Artist by Ed Vere and To The Other Side by Erika Meza. There are so many amazing picture books being published at the moment, it’s almost impossible to choose! 

Shortlist Spotlight: Teapot Trouble by Morag Hood (Two Hoots)

The fourth of our shortlisted books is Teapot Trouble: A Duck and Tiny Horse Adventure by Morag Hood. Described as the judges as an ‘absolutely joyous little tale’ and ‘as random as a child’s min’, here’s judge Benji Davies to tell you exactly what made this story an essential inclusion in this year’s OBP top six.

And there’s the tiny horse in the flesh! Carry on reading for more from Morag on her super and slightly surreal tale.

Morag Hood

Morag Hood has a unique voice. Her idiosyncratic, wry humour permeates everything she does, creating books of style and irresistible charm. Colin and Lee, Carrot and Pea was a runner-up in The Macmillan Prize for Illustration, marking a glorious picture book debut. Morag spent her childhood writing stories, painting, and dreaming of having a pet duck. Following a degree in Costume Design from Wimbledon College of Art, and an MA in Children's Book Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art, Morag returned to live in her native Edinburgh with her husband. She still likes making stories, printing, cutting and sticking, and freshly sharpened pencils. Her self-authored books include Colin and Lee, Carrot and Pea, When Grandad was a Penguin, I Am Bat, The Steves , Aalfred and Aalbert and Brenda is a Sheep, and she is also the author of Sophie Johnson: Unicorn Expert, illustrated by Ella Okstad.

Morag’s answers:

What is the picture book that have you enjoyed reading with someone else most, and why?

I love reading 'MONSTER! HUNGRY! PHONE!' by Sean Taylor and Fred Benaglia with my three year old son. He thinks the monster is hilarious and I love the energy, humour and how the monster is both monstrous and a really appealing character.

Do you have a favourite character in Teapot Trouble?

I really enjoyed creating the dynamic between Tiny Horse and Duck. And while I identify more with Duck, Tiny Horse is just so fun to write! I love her confidence and the way she throws herself (and Duck) into tackling any problem, regardless of whether she has the skills or knowledge required...

Which picture book would you give as a gift to Tiny Horse and why?

'Don't Worry Little Crab' by Chris Haughton, to further her education about crabs (I'm not sure how much she really learned in that crab-taming shop).  

Shortlist Spotlight: The Gecko and the Echo by Rachel Bright and Jim Field (Orchard Books)

The third shortlisted book we’re going to shine a spotlight on is The Gecko and the Echo by Rachel Bright and Jim Field. The judges described the book as ‘gorgeous’ and ‘a joy to read aloud’. But if you want a real feel for this lizardy tail (snigger), here’s our judge Cressida Cowell to tell you all about it:

And what about that? A doodle from the illustrator himself, Jim Field. What a treat. Carry on reading for a little insight into the minds of this iconic pairing of author and illustrator below:

Jim Field’s answers:

What is the picture book that have you enjoyed reading with someone else most, and why?

That is a very difficult question as there are so many books I love reading with our daughter. But… the one that stands out is ‘Shh! We have a plan’ by the fab Chris Haughton, previous Oscars Book Prize winner. It’s the French edition, so it was also a good way for me to learn some French!

I read this story with our daughter since she was a baby, the comedy beat with the page turns is story telling perfection every time. 

Our daughter recently started to learn to read and it’s the first picture book she read to me. So, it has a fond place in both of our hearts.

What’s your favourite thing about Goldy?

Goldy has a great selection of dance moves and is never too scared to flaunt them (unlike me)! I love how Goldy eventually channels this confidence and positive energy with the group of geckos and gets them all up and dancing. I wish Goldy would teach me some dance moves.

Which picture book would you give as a gift to Goldy, and why?

I’m not sure Goldy needs a picture book, maybe just a mirror.

Well ok… I’d give Goldy a copy of ‘Pokko and the Drum’ by Matthew Forsythe. I think Goldy would appreciate how Pokko doesn’t like things quiet… Like Goldy, Pokko loves to share her music with the world and get everyone up on their feet.

Rachel Bright’s Answers:

What is the picture book that have you enjoyed reading with someone else most, and why?

Ohhhh! What a hard question! You mean I have to choose?! One?! Well…I LOVE reading with my daughters and they both adore picture books. My youngest asks for two books over and over again…The Large Family Collection (which is actually four books in one!) by Jill Murphy and The Storm Whale and Grandad’s Island by none other than Oscars double winner, Benji Davies. She likes the first ones as they make her chuckle and the second ones as she is mesmerised by the deft and seemingly simple story telling which actually packs a profound message . I also think she loves the idea of rescuing a baby whale and hanging out with orangutans on a tropical island! My eldest, though now devouring chapter books, still loves picture books and always loved the Emily Brown Books (Cressida Cowell) and also ‘Going to the Volcano’ by Andy Stanton, which is equal parts silly, hilarious and genius! There you go – I couldn’t choose one! I chose loads! And I’ve missed out so many of other gems here too!

What’s your favourite thing about Goldy?

Goldy’s pzazz! And, ultimately, a willingness to evolve into a new understanding, without losing any of that wild and confident spirit – but instead – channelling it in a new and exciting way which causes a wonderful positive ripple effect in Goldy’s new world view. I also just love that little pink uke J

Which picture book would you give as a gift to Goldy, and why?

Perhaps ‘The Giving Tree’ by Shel Silverstein…but also ‘The Gecko & the Echo’ – since I know Goldy would appreciate being the star of a story all about Goldy! ☺

Shortlist Spotlight: Frank and Bert by Chris Naylor Ballesteros (Nosy Crow)

Everyone’s sick of chocolate by now, right? Good! Because our Easter weekend gift to you is not remotely edible, although you can definitely enjoy DEVOURING (sorry) the wonderful second story on our shortlist spotlight: Frank and Bert by Chris Naylor Ballesteros.

So, what did the judges think made this book so shortlist-special? Well, among other things, they deemed that it was ‘very funny’ with ‘adorable illustrations and a very clever use of colour’: here’s Amazon UK’s Lisa de Meyer to tell you more:

Thank you Lisa - and thank you Chris (and to all at Nosy Crow) for creating such a fantastic picture book. As ever, please buy, borrow or share with friends so that you can have a read!

We also need to thank Chris Naylor Ballesteros, who has very kindly answered our questions - and created this amazing doodle!

Take it away, Chris (the questions, not the drawing that is….we love the drawing and very much want it to stay firmly put on our page).

What is the picture book that have you enjoyed reading with someone else most, and why?

I think it would be my own long-time favourite book, Amos & Boris by William Steig. I’ve had the same copy since I was about seven - probably the only book I’ve managed to keep hold of since my childhood.

When my children were small I read it to them and they enjoyed it too and sometimes I found it very strange to see myself reading a book to my own children that I’d known since I was little that I’d had read to me by my parents.

It’s a beautiful story about friendship. Amos is a mouse and Boris is a whale and through adventure and a nautical calamity they become best friends. They even save each others lives but ultimately know they can never be together, their worlds being so different. When I used to read it to my children we started adding an improvised bit of silliness after the ending because it’s quite a heart-wrenching last page. We usually imagined Amos being sat on by an elephant he’d enlisted to save Boris and being livid and shouting at it to get off. It made us laugh after the tearful goodbyes in the story. Sorry Mr. Steig!

 

What's your favourite thing about each character in Frank and Bert?

When I’m trying to decide what they’ll do in each new story I say to myself that Frank knows things whereas Bert feels things. They both approach a situation in their own way and even though they think about things differently, they complement each other and figure things out together.

Frank is a bit of a know-it-all but in a nice way. I think we all know someone a bit like that - they have a heart of gold and would do anything to help, but at the same time they’re sure that their way is the best way!

Bert is a no-nonsense bear. He thinks about the world in a really straightforward way and sees things as they are - even if occasionally things aren’t quite as they are. He’s really loyal and protective of his friend but he’s also got a mischievous streak and isn’t as daft as he sometimes appears.

 

Which picture book would you give as a gift to Frank and Bert, and why?

Well if I couldn’t give them the books that they’re actually in, like in an episode of This Is Your Life, I’d give them Amos & Boris of course, and a few of my favourites from the last few years - When The Sun Goes Home by Momoko Abe, On A Magical Do-Nothing Day by Beatrice Alemagna and I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen - which features a bear who eats a thieving rabbit. It would be interesting to know what Bert thought about that.

And seeing as Frank & Bert really like counting, I’d give them Cockatoos by Quentin Blake and Ten Tiny Tadpoles by Debbie Tarbett, which were big favourites for me and my children.

About Chris Naylor Ballesteros

Chris is originally from Bradford and studied illustration and graphic design at Bradford College of Art. In 2000 he moved to France where, amongst other things, he was an English teacher before working in newspaper layout and design.

When his children were small he realised he loved the picture books he read to them, sometimes even more than his children did – the Picture Book Bug had truly bitten.

Chris has since written and illustrated several books and is currently thinking about the next one, probably with a cuppa in hand at home near Limoges.

He likes listening to and making music, wandering around the countryside, a bit of running and riding a bike. His favourite season is autumn and his favourite colour is green.

Shortlist Spotlight 2023: The Boy with Flowers in His Hair by Jarvis (Walker Books)

We’re so delighted to FINALLY be able to share more details about our fantastic 2023 shortlist, which we will be posting here between now and the winner announcement on 9 May. Please read them all, and see if you have a favourite to become our tenth winner!

Our first story to shine in the OBP spotlight is the amazing The Boy with Flowers in his Hair by Jarvis.

Judges called this book ‘delicate and beautiful’ and ‘timeless’ …. but wait, don’t take our word for it. Here’s what judge Benji Davies had to say:

We highly endorse borrowing or buying a copy, whether from a library, your local independent bookshop or of course our sponsor Amazon, who have a dedicated shortlist page: amazon.co.uk/oscarsbookprize

But that’s not all. The brilliant Jarvis, author and illustrator of this gorgeous book, has ever so kindly agreed to tell us more.

He’s also sent a special friend to help celebrate the shortlist….David himself!

Copyright Jarvis 2023

Please read on to find out a little more about Jarvis, and to read the answers he very kindly supplied for our Q&A…which includes telling us what Bob Shea books automatically do to their readers, and which books he’d gift to some very special characters.

Jarvis, good luck, and thank you so much!

What is the picture book that you have enjoyed reading with someone else most, and why?

Any Bob Shea book makes the person who reads it aloud into the funniest person. I would probably go with Who Wet My Pants (Illustrated by Zachariah Ohora) or Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great. But he has written so many wonderfully funny books that are so unique to him. I enjoy reading any of his aloud to my friend's kids.

What’s your favourite thing about each of the characters in The Boy with Flowers in His Hair?

Actually, my favourite thing is that at there is a boy who has flowers growing out of his head and none of the class mates treat him differently. I wanted all the characters to just be absolutely fine with that...because children often are completely fine with difference. It's only when he loses them that things change a little. And obviously my favourite character is the narrator, the best friend who sticks by David through his twiggy-ness, because that's something we all want in a friend.

 Which picture book would you give as a gift to David and the narrator, and why?

Well for the narrator who likes a bit of paper cutting and painting i'd give him a book called The Great Paint by Alex Willmore about an artistic frog. 

And for David, the boy with flowers in his hair, I'd go with Butterfly Child by Marc Majewski, which is a very beautifully flowery book about a boy who makes his own butterfly wings. 

Photo: credit Matt Burgess

About Jarvis

Jarvis studied Graphic Design and previously worked as a record sleeve designer, website designer and an animation director before becoming a children’s bookmaker. His books with Walker include Follow Me, Flo!, Tropical Terry, Mrs Mole, I’m Home! and Alan’s Big, Scary Teeth, which won the V&A Best Illustrated Book. He is also the illustrator of the much-loved "Pick a ..." series written by Patricia Toht, Pick a Pine Tree and Pick a Pumpkin and Pick a Perfect Egg. Jarvis lives in Manchester with his wife and their dog and cat. Follow him on Twitter as @heyimjarvis, and on Instagram as @booksbyjarvis.

Pirates, Unlikely Friendships and a Singing Gecko; Oscar’s Book Prize reveal the 2023 shortlist

It’s time! The judges have been beavering away and finally we can announce the amazing books they have chosen to shortlist for the 10th annual Oscar’s Book Prize!

Oscar’s Book Prize was set up by James Ashton and Viveka Alvestrand to celebrate magical stories for children in memory of their son Oscar, who was three-and-a-half when he died from an undiagnosed heart condition in December 2012. 

 

One decade on, and animals are a firm favourite this year with appearances from a seal, a fox, a bear, a dog, a gecko, sharks and a tiny horse, to name a few. Yet all of the beautifully illustrated stories have clear themes and important messages in common, notably that of friendship and the act of kindness. 

 

This year’s shortlist was selected by a star-studded judging panel including Cressida Cowell, the former Children’s Laureate and author of the best-selling children’s book series How To Train Your Dragon, The British Book Awards ‘Illustrator of the Year 2022’, Dapo Adeola and author and two-time winner of Oscar’s Book Prize, Benji Davies. Completing the panel is Lisa de Meyer, the UK Books Country Manager at Amazon.co.uk and the Prize co-founder, Viveka Alvestrand.

 

The winner of the £10,000 Prize will be announced by the award’s patron, Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice, at a ceremony on Tuesday 9th May in central London, and will become the tenth picture book to take the prize. The prize is generously supported by Amazon and the Evening Standard.

Dapo Adeola said: “Narrowing down the entries to just six titles was incredibly difficult - but it's been a joy to take on the challenge of deciding between so many outstanding stories. I was blown away by the creativity, the characters and the storytelling of each and every book, and loved the different things that the books tell us about friendships. 

There is so much to be said about the importance of children’s books, and the impact that their magic can have on those that read them. I hope that this year’s shortlist gets into the hands of as many young readers as possible, because these stories will quite rightly stay with them for years to come. What a set of books to end the prize's first decade with!"

Lisa De Meyer said: “It has been such an honour to support Oscar’s Book Prize once again. Over the past ten years, the Prize has brought some outstanding picture books to the fore and this year’s shortlist is no different.  We have read some fantastical and magical stories and we are all extremely proud of the chosen shortlist - any one of them would be a thoroughly deserving winner.”

  

The shortlist for Oscar’s Book Prize 2023 is as follows:

Billy and the Pirates by Nadia Shireen (Penguin Random House - Children’s Puffin)

Ahoy there! It's time to sail the ocean blue with Billy and her trusty feline friend, as they embark on a noble seafaring adventure to escape Captain Howl in their third thrilling adventure, filled with singing mermaids and sticky toffee eating sharks. Fortunately for our courageous twosome, they're no strangers to peril: they always have a trick (or treat) up their sleeves.

Can I Play? by Nicola Kinnear (Alison Green - Scholastic)

Grumpy George doesn’t want friends – until he meets a funny little seal called Pebble . . . George the dog loves living alone on his island. He likes to do everything his own way, and friends would just ruin things, until one day he meets a cheerful little seal named Pebble, and she’s determined to be George’s friend, whether he likes it or not. Can this odd couple ever become friends?

Frank and Bert by Chris Naylor Ballesteros (Nosy Crow)

Frank and Bert are the best of friends and they love to play hide and seek, but Bert the bear isn't quite as good at hiding as he thinks, and Frank always ends up winning. Upon playing again, Frank has to decide between winning or making his friend happy and learns that friendship is always the true winner.

Teapot Trouble: A Duck and Tiny Horse Adventure by Morag Hood (Two Hoots)

Something or someone is living inside Duck's teapot! Who are they? What do they want? How will we get them out? Never fear, for Tiny Horse is here! Tiny Horse has a trampoline. She has a magnificent hat. She has a stick of celery. What more could anyone need to save the day?

The Boy with Flowers in His Hair by Jarvis (Walker Books)

David is the boy with flowers in his hair. He’s sweet and gentle, just like his petals. But when David’s flowers begin to fall – a single petal at first, then every last blossom – his best friend never leaves his side. And through kindness and creativity, he even finds a way to give David his colour back…

The Gecko and the Echo by Rachel Bright and Jim Field (Hachette Children’s Group - Orchard)

Goldy the gecko wants one thing - to be a star. But in the quest for stardom, Goldy loses perspective when a performance starts to go wrong, the little gecko discovers that friendship means so much more than fame. When you treat the world with love, then love will come echoing back.

To view the full shortlist, please visit amazon.co.uk/oscarsbookprize, and visit www.oscarsbookprize.co.uk for author and illustrator Q&As, dedicated doodles, judges’ videos and more over the coming weeks.

Meet the Judges 2023: Our longlist panel

We’ve now had the pleasure of hearing from our shortlist judges and the crucial work they do in selecting our finalists. But before that stage of judging can happen, another very important panel reads all of our entries and has the unenviable task of choosing between them!

This panel is made up of a selection of children’s literature experts from different parts of the industry: from literacy charities to librarians. As usual, the panel involves Bedi Beytula-Sali and Sajida Akber from the Eveline Day Nursery, which Oscar attended, who bring their incomparable practical expertise of what books young children enjoy and engage with, and Viveka Alvestrand, Oscar’s mother.

This year the panel was also complemented by author, illustrator, and two-time OBP winner Benji Davies (also a shortlist judge this year), Read for Good’s Dr Lucy Martin and Tower Hamlets School Library Services’ Jacob Turner.

As we prepare to reveal our outstanding 10th shortlist on Monday, we wanted to share some insights from Lucy and Jacob (Benji having already kindly answered our shortlist judge Q&A, below) - huge thanks to both of of them for answering our questions, as well as choosing such terrific books!

Dr Lucy Martin –  Research and Partnerships Manager at Read for Good

Dr Lucy Martin, Read for Good

Please tell us about yourself:

I am extremely lucky to work for Read for Good. Read for Good are the brilliant charity partner of Oscar's Book Prize whose mission is to improve the lives of children across the UK by inspiring a love of reading. My role allows me to develop relationships with the most amazing individuals who share Read for Good’s commitment to changing children and young people’s lives through the power of stories and reading for pleasure. As there is so much evidence to support how transformative reading can be, it’s my job to make sure we share this and that our work in schools and hospitals is driven by the latest research. I’m never far away from books, meaning that I can often be found in the local library, or sitting under a tree, reading to my 4 year old who loves stories. 

Which childhood book(s) inspired your own reading journey?

I loved anything by Jacqueline Wilson. She totally got that life can sometimes be really hard when you're a kid. I think either you relate to the challenges of the characters in her stories or they can help you build empathy for what others are going through. 

What do you think is the most important thing about picture books?

For me, and at the charity Read for Good where I work, the most important things about picture books is that children can freely choose a book they love. Yet almost 1 in 5 children (ages 5-8) do not have any books at home. We believe that every child deserves to have access to a range of quality reading for pleasure books so they can experience the joy and magic of stories.

Jacob Turner, Librarian 

Please tell us about yourself:

I have been part of the Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services since 2004, ensuring that schools have a ready supply of the best children’s books and other teaching resources, and helping to set up school libraries. I’ve managed the Tower Hamlets Book Award and annual recommended book lists since 2009, as well as the Tower Hamlets creative writing competition. When I’m not librarianing I illustrate books, climb walls and collect board games. 

Which childhood book(s) inspired your own reading journey? 

I was read a lot of traditional tales and myths. ‘The Kingdom Under The Sea’ by Joan Aiken – the story ‘Baba Yaga’s Daughter’ and also ‘The Reed Girl’ where the main character cuts off his own hand to feed two wolves – vividly illustrated by Jan Pienkowski – is still a fixture in the back of my mind. Possibly unsurprisingly, I went on to spend my childhood engrossed in the wonderfully dark Fighting Fantasy books by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone. 

What do you think is the most important thing about picture books? 

That the illustrations can tell a story without necessarily needing the words, and that you can open the best picture books on any page and still be captivated by a whole world in that one image. 

Meet the Judges 2023: Cressida Cowell

Our fourth judge needs no introduction - as it’s the inimitable Cressida Cowell!

As well as being a former Children’s laureate, Cressida is of course the author and illustrator, best known for, among many other works, her How to Train Your Dragon series.

Cressida is of course now very busy putting all of her expertise to the test in taming the shortlist-to-be - so Cressida, thank you so much for answering our questions, too!

Credit Debra Hurford Brown

What is your earliest reading memory?

Going to the local library to discover exciting new books – which is one of the reasons libraries are so important, they make reading accessible from the earliest age.

Who is (or was) your all-time favourite person to read picture books with?

 My children. I know parents are exhausted by the end of the day, but as the parent of 3 adult children, they’re some of my fondest memories. And books read to you in a parent’s voice live with you all your life.

Who or what do you consider to be the best picture book character ever, and why?

‘The Lorax. He’s a brilliantly entertaining character whilst also delivering vital messages about the environment and empowering children to know that they can make a difference. He also has a beautiful, lyrical voice: ‘I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues.'

Oscar's Book Prize celebrates the very best picture books. What sort of stories are you hoping to discover while judging this year's shortlist?

I’m looking for a book that the children will love, obviously, but also appeals to the reading adult so that they enjoy reading together, to create those happy memories. I’m looking for something with skill, and heart and joy.

About Cressida:

Cressida Cowell MBE is the author-illustrator of the How to Train Your Dragon, The Wizards of Once and Which Way to Anywhere book series, as well as picture books. How to Train Your Dragon is also an Academy Award nominated film and TV franchise. Cressida is a trustee of World Book Day, a patron of Read for Good, an ambassador for the National Literacy Trust and the Woodland Trust. She has won many high-profile awards for her books, as well as her work championing literacy. She is an honorary fellow of Keble College, Oxford, and has an honorary doctorate from the University of Brighton. Cressida was Children’s Laureate 2019-2022.