Klaus Flugge illustration prize

The six picture books shortlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize, which recognises promising new picture book illustrators, have been announced - and we have a set of the shortlisted books to give away!

The six debut picture books celebrate children's imagination and potential, family love, and freedom of expression, and all the illustrators are female. To enter ReadingZone's free draw for a set of the books, email your school's details to: [email protected] Subject: Picture books The competition will close on Friday 31 May. Former Children's Laureate Anthony Browne and 2018 winner Kate Milner will help to choose the overall winner, which will be announced on 11 September. The shortlisted books have very different subjects: a penguin and a king; a mermaid and a beginner gardener; Little Red Riding Hood and a girl looking after her daddy, although their themes are similar and together they celebrate the power of imagination and the importance of family and love. There are also important messages about the right to self-expression and about contemporary society. The shortlist includes the following six books: The Extraordinary Gardner, Sam Boughton (Tate) Editor Holly Tonks, designer Ness Wood What the judges said:'There's an exuberance in the artwork; some wonderful spreads and Joe's urban world is really well done; it has real child appeal.' Looking After Daddy, Eve Coy (Andersen Press) Editor Libby Hamilton, designer Rebecca Garrill What the judges said: 'The images tell their own stories; really good interplay between text and illustration; I smiled all the way through.' The King Who Banned the Dark, Emily Haworth-Booth (Pavilion Children's Books) Editor Neil Dunnicliffe, designer Lee-May Lim What the judges said: 'A great idea and it really makes the most of light and dark; there's lots of variety in the use of page layout, and lots of surprises; it's full of energy and humour.' I Cant Can Fly, Fifi Kuo, editor Leilani Sparrow (Boxer Books) Designer David Bennett What the judges said: 'A beautiful book; a lovely sense of movement; the story has been done before but she's transformed it; fantastic drawing skills, every penguin is different.' Julian is a Mermaid, Jessica Love (Walker Books) Editor Tanya Rosie, art director Deirdre McDermott What the judges said: 'It reminded me of Sendak, it's hard to believe it's a debut; the illustrations say things that words would struggle to express; delivers an important message without feeling didactic.' Red and the City, Marie Voigt (Oxford) Editor Peter Marley, designer Kate Adams What the judges said: 'The characters are simply drawn but have real personality; there's a European feel to the artwork; a clever, multi-layered retelling of a well-known story.'