The Last Bear wins the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2022

Hannah Gold has been named Overall Winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2022 for her debut novel The Last Bear (HarperCollins Children's Books) with a prize of £5,000 and the promise of ongoing commitment to the winners' writing and illustrating careers.

After having been named winner of the Younger Readers' category earlier in the evening, The Last Bear was also announced as the Overall Winner of the Prize. Ciara Smyth's Not My Problem (Andersen Press) won the Older Readers' category and Harry Woodgate's Grandad's Camper (Andersen Press) took the category for Illustrated Books.

Hannah Gold introduces The Last Bear (Q&A)The Last Bear, atmospherically illustrated by Levi Pinfold, tells the story of April, the daughter of an Arctic researcher, and her chance encounter with a lone polar bear. It is a celebration of the love between a child and an animal, a battle cry for our world and an irresistible adventure with a heart as big as a bear's.  Hannah describes The Last Bear as "a book of my heart" and as a chance to inspire children with the message that "no-one is too small or insignificant to make a difference about the things they truly care about."

Sorcha, Waterstones Cambridge, calls The Last Bear a "future classic" and finds the story to be "timely and thought-provoking, but ultimately heart-warming," whilst Rachel, Waterstones Altrincham, praises the book's "magical quality" and "the enthralling depictions of the Arctic" and for Ryan, Waterstones Oldham, the story is "gorgeous and emotional" and a "poignant reminder of the importance of environmentalism."

Florentyna Martin, Waterstones head of children's, says: "With environmental topics on the rise in children's literature, Hannah Gold's triumphant debut stands out from the crowd. Prepare to be whisked away on a beautiful, unforgettable Arctic adventure. Hannah's impeccable storytelling builds immersive landscapes and an inspirational friendship born of bravery and kindness. Our booksellers have expertly chosen a winner that provides a symbol of hope to the next generation; part battle cry, part love letter to our planet, April and Bear's unique bond will teach every young reader how to roar."  Waterstones offers an exclusive celebratory edition with a Q&A from Hannah Gold, and inside jacket artwork from Levi Pinfold.

The winner of the category for Older Readers: Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth is a moving and hilarious high school story about a troubled rulebreaker who accidentally becomes the school's problem-fixer and finds herself connecting with the most unexpected group of people.  Ciara says: "I love to write about people who have to overcome their defences to discover the richness and colour that relationships of all kinds bring to their lives. If I can manage to do that while making people laugh, even better!"

The winner of the Illustrated Books category: Grandad's Camper by Harry Woodgate, a beautiful and moving story that celebrates love in all its forms with a warm and positive message about inclusion.

The Waterstones Children’s Book Prize is unique in that it is voted for solely by booksellers. Last year's winner A Kind of Spark shot to the top of the bestseller charts after being announced as Waterstones Children's Book Prize Winner 2021 and saw an increase in sales of 2300% across the Waterstones estate.