Talented debuts shortlisted for award
Posted on Wednesday, May 2, 2018
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The shortlist for the 2018 Branford Boase Award, which recognises debut authors and their editors, has been announced and includes Kick by Mitch Johnson, Fish Boy by Chloe Daykin and The City of Secret Rivers by Jacob Sager Weinstein.
The Branford Boase Award is given annually to the author of an outstanding debut novel for children. It also honours the editor of the winning title and highlights the importance of the editor in nurturing new talent. The winner of the 2018 Branford Boase Award will be announced on Wednesday 4th July at a ceremony in London. Previous winners and shortlisted authors include Siobhan Dowd, Meg Rosoff, Mal Peet, Philip Reeve, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Patrick Ness and Frances Hardinge. This year's shortlist is dominated by books for primary-aged children and stories featuring internal dramas. The shortlist includes: A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars by Yaba Badoe, edited by Fiona Kennedy (Head of Zeus: Zephyr) British-Ghanaian writer Yaba Badoe draws on storytelling roots nurtured well beyond Europe to tell an original and powerful story, mixing the horror of people-trafficking with African folklore. The judges commented, 'Packed with memorable scenes and an extraordinarily vivid sense of place'; 'language and story are equally interesting'; 'things don't come more original than this'. The Starman and Me by Sharon Cohen, edited by Sarah Lambert (Quercus Children's Books) 12-year old Kofi thinks he's seeing things when he spots a tiny human being on a roundabout near his home. But Rorty Thrutch is real, and he needs Kofi's help to get home. The judges commented, 'Weird, but in a good way!'; 'a great story with real emotions'; 'children will really enjoy it'; 'good, clean prose'. Fish Boy by Chloe Daykin, edited by Leah Thaxton (Faber) Billy loves the sea and uses swimming as a way of escape. But his love of the sea also makes him the butt of his class mates' bullying and he increasingly creates an alternative world for himself inspired in part by lessons learnt from David Attenborough's programmes. When Patrick arrives in his class Billy at last finds someone who understands him. The judges commented, 'The friendship between two outsiders is very touching indeed'; 'a unique internal voice beautifully described'; 'interesting and surprising'. Knighthood for Beginners by Elys Dolan, edited by Clare Whitston and Elv Moody (Oxford University Press) A fairy tale comedy with a very unusual central character. Dave the little dragon won't eat villagers, and finds all dragony things difficult, but he loves reading and when he picks up a second-hand copy of How to be a Knight, he knows he's found his calling. The judges commented, 'exuberant, joyful and original'; 'I loved it'; 'silly but with an important message'. Kick by Mitch Johnson, edited by Rebecca Hill and Becky Walker (Usborne) Budi lives for football, training with his friends whenever he can, following his team with a passion and dreaming about playing at the top level. But Budi lives in Jakarta and also works ten hours a day making the football boots his sporting heroes wear, and earning just pennies for doing it. The judges commented, 'Well-researched and beautifully described'; 'a very brave first novel'; 'fresh and different' 'I loved the characters'. Potter's Boy by Tony Mitton, edited by Anthony Hinton (David Fickling Books) In a small village, in long-ago Japan, teenager Ryo is expected to follow his father into the family ceramics business. But when an unassuming young man passes through and beats in single combat the troupe of bandits who have been plaguing the villagers, Ryo determines to become a fighter. The judges commented, 'Beautiful storytelling'; 'a slow read for the modern child but one that will draw them in'; 'uses a particularly rich vocabulary'; poignant and unusual'; 'I learned something from it'. The City of Secret Rivers by Jacob Sager Weinstein, edited by Gill Evans (Walker Books) Hyacinth Hayward, newly arrived in the UK from the US, is already struggling with culture shock when her mum is kidnapped by the strangest postmen ever and she herself is plunged (literally) into extraordinary adventure in London's secret underground river. The judges commented, 'Clever, so funny, so well controlled'; 'hugely inventive'; 'I thought "I know where this is going to end" - and I didn't'; 'a joyful caper that carries you along'. This year the judges are Urmi Merchant of children's bookshop Pickled Pepper Books; Helen Swinyard, librarian at Heartlands High School and founder of the Haringey Children's Book Award; author and reviewer Philip Womack; and M.G. (Maya) Leonard, author of Beetle Boy, winner of the 2017 Branford Boase Award. The panel is chaired by Julia Eccleshare, children's director of the Hay Festival. Julia Eccleshare says: "The BBA celebrates the lively state of children's publishing in the UK and we were excited that no less than 26 different publishers entered books with seven making the shortlist. "By concentrating on the most exciting new voices, the Branford Boase consistently highlights trends in contemporary children's fiction: our 2018 judges were struck by the huge predominance on the longlist of domestic dramas. Children's adventure, it seems, has become internal, the setting no longer the outside world but frequently the family, with narrative tension and action arising from issues such as mental health and individual trauma. Nonetheless, our seven shortlisted books have new stories to tell and vibrant new voices to tell them."
