Information book award shortlist announced

The School Library Association has announced the shortlist for the seventh annual SLA Information Book Award, covering themes from refugees and the Holocaust to the Great Fire of London and computing.

Hilary Murray Hill, CEO of Hachette Children's Group, which sponsors the award, spoke out for school libraries and non fiction publishing. She said, "School libraries are an essential part of the development of literacy for many thousands of children in this country and the SLA supports and promotes all that is best in children's librarianship. "The quality of this year's submissions is higher than ever before and congratulations are due to the commitment, creativity and skill of all the editors, authors and illustrators whose books have made it to the 2017 shortlist." The shortlisted titles in each age category are as follows: Under 7 A First Book of Animals by Nicola Davies Illustrated by Petr Horacek (Walker Books) Our Very Own Dog by Amanda McCardie, Illustrated by Salavatore Rubbino (Walker Books) My Encyclopedia of Very Important Things by Various (Dorling Kindersley) The Big Book of Bugs by Yuval Zommer (Thames & Hudson) 7-12 The Great Fire of London by Emma Adams, Illustrated by James Weston Lewis (Wren & Rook) RSPB Wildlife in Your Garden by Mike Dilger, Illustrated by Sarah Horne (Bloomsbury Children's) Hello World by Jonathan Litton, Illustrated by L'atelier Cartographik (Little Tiger) Ada's Ideas; the story of Ada Lovelace the world's first computer programmer by Fiona Robinson (Abrams Books for Young Readers) 12+ Mind Your Head by Juno Dawson with advice from Dr Olivia Hewitt Illustrated by Gemma Correll (Hot Key Books) Who Are Refugees and Migrants? by Michael Rosen and Annemarie Young (Wayland) Survivors of the Holocaust by Kath Shackleton (Franklin Watts) The winners will be announced at an event at Hachette Children's Group in London, on Wednesday 22nd November. Voting for the Children's Choice from the shortlists will be open very shortly and announcements will follow on the SLA website, below, and via Twitter @UKSLA and on Facebook. Here are the judges' comments on the shortlisted titles: Under 7 A First Book of Animals by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Petr Horacek Nicola Davies is a passionate advocate of the natural world and delights in introducing children to all its glories. Over fifty different animals, birds, insects and marine creatures are brought vividly to life through her words and the accompanying illustrations. Full of vibrant colour and detail, capturing movement and habitat with judicious use of colour, these enhance and extend the descriptive poems, transporting the young reader around the world. Our Very Own Dog by Amanda McCardie, illustrated by Salvatore Rubbino From the fluid and colourful pictures of dogs on the flyleaves, the stylish quality of illustrations is instantly recognisable. The story of a rescue dog becoming a family pet is interwoven with factual information, including training techniques. This is the perfect book for any family considering the implications of getting a pet dog, a perfect balance of fiction and information. My encyclopedia of very important things by various authors A lovely bright layout, combining excellent photos and quirky illustrations offers an appealing setting for the text. There are plenty of facts on each page, laid out clearly and using simple, accessible language. There is something to interest everyone here, from dinosaurs to clouds, music to habitats. This is a lovely browser that offers something new every time it is picked up. The big book of bugs by Yuval Zommer This engaging large format picture book is ideal for just dipping into or reading from cover to cover. More than an information book, it challenges the reader to spot the hidden fly fifteen times, while searching for other bugs along the way. Full of scientific facts about insects from all around the world, with every page a visual delight. 7-12 The Great Fire of London by Emma Adams, Illustrated by James Weston Lewis Changing the face of the city forever, the story of the Great Fire of London is one which has resonated throughout the past 350 years. In deceptively sparing detail, Emma Adams describes how it started, the efforts to quench the flames, how it was eventually defeated and the impact on the people of London. The bold, print style illustrations, in a limited palette of blazing orange and smoky blues and greys, give a haunting vision of a city ablaze. Hello World by Jonathan Litton, illustrated by L'Atelier Cartographik Make friendships across the world by learning basic greetings in around 150 languages from Moroccan Arabic to Ukranian and many others too. Lifting the language flap reveals transliterations and interesting details; captions highlight information about aspects of life and history and simple maps show basic geographical information. 'Hello World' will fascinate children interested in countries and in how people communicate. RSPB Wildlife in Your Garden by Mike Dilger, Illustrated by Sarah Horne Gardens are home to an amazing abundance of wildlife, from birds to butterflies and small mammals. This fascinating and accessible guide, illustrated with photographs, shows the plants and creatures which might be encountered, with tips for young naturalists on how to encourage visitors and where and when to spot them. Ada's ideas: the story of Ada Lovelace, the world's first computer programmer by Fiona Robinson This is an inspirational story of female achievement which also highlights the importance of the imagination when it comes to scientific invention. Published two years after the 200th anniversary of the mathematician's birth, this beautifully designed picture-book biography introduces the reader to Ada's world and her pioneering work with Charles Babbage. A truly empowering story. 12+ Mind your head by Juno Dawson and Dr Olivia Hewitt, illustrated by Gemma Correll Straightforward advice mixed with a healthy dose of humour make this an excellent book that all teenagers would do well to read. It approaches mental health issues and sources of help in a sensible, non-sensational way with plenty of detail. Correll's illustrations are as always a delight, bringing a lightness to serious topics but never trivialising the subject. Who are refugees and migrants? What makes people leave their homes? And other big questions by Michael Rosen and Annnemarie Young Equipped with all the organisational features of a traditional information book, this also has a distinctive authorial voice which makes it highly readable. This timely book is designed to explain and inform, but also to challenge preconceptions and encourage the reader to develop their own opinions. The topic is explored through a wide range of personal stories which combine many new voices with some of the more familiar ones. Survivors of the Holocaust by Kath Shackleton A very moving and personal take on the Holocaust, describing children's stories in their own words. The stark illustrations clearly convey the fear, anger and despair that they experienced and work well with the straightforward text. The timeline and 'what happened next?' sections tie the stories together and provide context, making this an unusual and compelling look at the subject.

External Link

www.sla.org.uk