Branford Boase debut shortlist announced

The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, MG Leonard's Beetle Boy, Cogheart by Peter Bunzle and The Bubble Boy by Stewart Foster are among the children's books shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award - and we have a set of the shortlisted books to give away!

The award highlights debut writers and their editors and the seven titles on the shortlist feature "moving, contemporary stories that vividly depict modern family relationships", said the judges. To enter our FREE DRAW to win a copy of the full shortlist, email [email protected] (subject Books), or comment below, to be entered. The full shortlist is as follows: Cogheart by Peter Bunzl, edited by Rebecca Hill (Usborne) We Are Giants by Amber Lee Dodd, edited by Niamh Mulvey (Quercus) Little Bits of Sky by S.E. Durrant, edited by Kirsty Stansfield (Nosy Crow) The Bubble Boy by Stewart Foster, edited by Rachel Mann (Simon and Schuster) The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, edited by Rachel Leyshon (Chicken House) Beetle Boy by M G Leonard, edited by Barry Cunningham and Rachel Leyson (Chicken House) Riverkeep by Martin Stewart edited by Shannon Cullen and Sharyn November (Penguin Random House). The annual prize acknowledges both the author and the editor of an outstanding debut novel for children and is now in its 17th year. Longlisted titles Eden Summer written by Liz Flanagan and edited by Bella Pearson (David Fickling Books) and Orangeboy written by Patrice Lawrence and edited by Emma Goldhawk (Hodder Children's Books) were withdrawn since the authors had previously written short novels for children while the award is for debut writers. Julia Eccleshare, chair of the judges, said, "Children's publishing in the UK is an extremely healthy state and this is a particularly strong, varied and interesting list. There are moving contemporary stories that vividly depict modern family relationships; inventive and brilliantly imagined fantasy stories; stories that will move and inspire readers; and some to make them laugh. Any one of these seven authors would be a worthy winner and we are already excited about what they will write next." The judging panel also includes Brenda Gardner, former children's editor and founder of Piccadilly Press, Joanna Halpin, Waterstones Trafalgar Square manager, Elizabeth McDonald, winner of the 2016 Public Librarian of the Year Award, and author Horatio Clare. Clare won the prize last year for Aubrey and the Terrible Yoot (Firefly Press). The winner of the 2017 Branford Boase Award will be announced on 5th July at a ceremony in London. YA author Frances Hardinge will present the winner with a cheque for 1,000 and both author and editor will receive a hand-crafted silver-inlaid box. Previous winners of the award include Meg Rosoff, Frances Hardinge, Annabel Pitcher, Mal Peet and Marcus Sedgwick.