Michael Morpurgo wins children's book prize
Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2017
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Children have chosen Michael Morpurgo's An Eagle in the Snow as the winner of The Children's Book Award 2017. The book is illustrated by Michael Foreman.
An Eagle In The Snow also won the Books for Younger Readers category, before going on to win the overall prize. The win is a record-breaking fourth for Michael Morpurgo OBE. One by Carnegie Medal-winning author Sarah Crossan has won the Books for Older Readers category and Oi Dog!, written by Kes and Claire Gray and illustrated by Jim Field, is the winner of the Books for Younger Children category. Michael Morpurgo's gripping and powerful novel is inspired by the true story of one man who might have stopped World War II. Set in 1940, in a train under attack from German fighters, sheltering in a tunnel, Barney and his mother are told a story by a stranger to pass the time. Brilliant and fascinating, the fast-paced storytelling is perfectly complemented by Michael Foreman's expressive and emotive illustrations. The Children's Book Award is the only national award for children's books that is voted for by children. The award is run by the Federation of Children's Book Groups with previous winners including J.K. Rowling, Patrick Ness, Andy Stanton, Malorie Blackman, Anthony Horowitz and Michael Morpurgo, who has won a record four times. The award has often been the first to recognise the future stars of children's fiction and has the ability to turn popular authors into bestsellers. The full shortlist for the Children's Book Award 2017 is as follows: Books for Younger Children Chicken Nugget by Michelle Robinson, illustrated by Tom McLaughlin (Puffin) Oi Dog! by Kes Gray and Claire Gray and illustrated by Jim Field (Hodder Children's Books) Grandad's Island by Benji Davies (Simon and Schuster) Gracie Grabbit and the Tiger by Helen Stephens (Scholastic) Books for Younger Readers The Accidental Pirates (Voyage to Magical North) by Claire Fayers (Macmillan Children's Books) An Eagle in the Snow by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Michael Foreman (HarperCollins Children's Books) The Jam Doughnut that Ruined my Life by Mark Lowery, illustrated by Hannah Shaw (Piccadilly) Books for Older Readers One by Sarah Crossan (Bloomsbury) Car-Jacked by Ali Sparkes (OUP) Mistletoe and Murder by Robin Stevens (Penguin Random House) Jane Etheridge, chair of The Federation of Children's Book Groups, says, "At a time when libraries are closing around the country, the Children's Book Award is more important than ever because it gives children access to new books. "The shortlist demonstrates the rich choice of books available today and, in winning, Michael Morpurgo has demonstrated once again that he is a truly magical storyteller." The Childrens Book Award is voted for entirely by children and each year over 150,000 votes are cast, involving nearly 250 schools across the UK. You can find out more about the shortlist here:
