TEACHERS’ “CARNEGIE” AWARD CONFIRMS ASTONISHING DEBUT TALENT The unique UKLA Book Awards are the only awards judged entirely by teachers. This year they recognise three of the most promising UK debut authors to ever take the children’s literature world by storm. In all three categories this talented trio beat off competition from established international best sellers and medal winners to take the top prizes, The Award winners for the book categories 3 to 6, 7 to11 and 12 to16 years were announced at a wine reception at the UKLA International Conference at the Liverpool Hope University on Friday 5th July 2013. The winning book for the 3-6 years category was Good Little Wolf by Nadia Shireen Rayner, published by Jonathan Cape The judges were delighted by this wonderful picture book where the illustration and the language work together flawlessly to guide a young reader through the story. Good Little Wolf takes key emblems from folklore and then subverts them in a glorious final twist. Utterly unsentimental, it has originality, wit and the power to hook young readers. The winning book in the 7 to 11 years category was The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan published by Bloomsbury This is the exceptionally well crafted tale of Kasienka and her mother, who come to England to search for her father. The story takes the reader on an unforgettable journey through the difficulties and pleasures of becoming part of a new and often harsh society. Weight of Water is a powerfully emotional and beautifully rich poetic text, filled with issues demanding to be shared and discussed and accessible to children about to make their own transition to secondary school The winning book in the 12- 16 years category was Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein published by Electric Monkey, an imprint of Egmont Books The author makes her UK debut with a very gripping, original and important story of two young women in World War Two. It is a story that does not flinch from the brutality of torture and interrogation, but it includes moments of wry humour which both lighten the tone and bring the characters vividly to life. It is written in the first person with a very clever interweaving of narrative, recollection and characterisation, which twists and turns in intriguing ways, keeping the reader guessing throughout. Brilliantly researched, the power of the narration make this book truly outstanding. Alayne Ӧzturk, President of UKLA said ‘UKLA is committed to the importance of literature for children and young people. We know that literature broadens the reader’s experience of life and sense of the possible and thus should have a central place in classrooms and educational contexts. The exceptional quality of the shortlists this year and the truly outstanding winners shows that the book trade continues to publish great titles by established and new authors’. Notes to editors The United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA) is a registered charity, which has as its sole object the advancement of education in literacy. UKLA is concerned with literacy education in school and out-of-school settings in all phases of education and members include classroom teachers, teaching assistants, school literacy co-ordinators, LEA literacy consultants, teacher educators, researchers, inspectors, advisors, publishers and librarians. The UKLA Book Award is unique as it is the only national book award selected by teachers from both the primary and secondary sectors. The judges were all teachers from schools across Liverpool, the Wirral, Wigan, Manchester and Leicester who decided on three shortlists- one for the 3-6 age range, one for 7- 11 and one for 12-16. Six books made it through to each shortlist. Shortlist 3-6
- Croc and Bird Alexis Deacon Hutchinson
- Rabbityness Jo Empson Child’s Play
- The Day Louis Got Eaten John Fardell Andersen Press
- Goldilocks and just the one bear Leigh Hodgkinson Nosy Crow
- My Big Shouting Day! Rebecca Patterson Jonathan Cape
- Good Little Wolf Nadia Shireen Jonathan Cape
Shortlist 7-11
- The Unforgotten Coat Frank Cottrell Boyce Walker Books
- Call me Drog Sue Cowing Usborne
- The Weight of Water Sarah Crossan Bloomsbury
- To Be a Cat Matt Haig Bodley Head
- A Face Like Glass Frances Hardinge Macmillan
- The Flask Nicky Singer Harper Collins
Shortlist 12-16
- Kill all Enemies Melvin Burgess Puffin
- Itch Simon Mayo Doubleday
- Wonder RJ Palacio Bodley Head
- Mister Creecher Chris Priestley Bloomsbury
- The Scorpio Races Maggie Stiefvater Scholastic
- Code Name Verity Elizabeth Wein Electric Monkey
The final panel of teachers to decide the prize winners was drawn from l the groups of over 60 teachers involved in the shortlisting. Teachers were looking for books which evocatively express ideas and offer layered meanings through the use of language, imaginative expression and rich illustration. The opportunity to widen their knowledge of new children’s books and to read, enjoy and talk about them together was welcomed by the teachers involved. Please email conferences@ukla.com for more information, if you wish to attend the award announcement and for images of the Awards Ceremony.
