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!