KPMG Children's Books Ireland Awards facts for kids

The KPMG Children's Books Ireland Awards, previously known as the CBI Book of the Year Awards (Irish: Duaiseanna Leabhair na Bliana CBI) and the Bisto Book of the Year Awards, are literary awards presented annually in the Republic of Ireland to writers and illustrators of books for children and young people. The Awards are run by Children's Books Ireland (CBI) and are open to authors and illustrators born or resident in Ireland; books may be written in English or Irish. Many bestselling, internationally renowned authors have won a "Bisto", including Eoin Colfer, John Boyne and several times winner Kate Thompson.

The awards were sponsored by Bisto (Premier Foods) from their inception.

First awarded in 1990 (with the Book of the Decade Awards), there are currently seven prizes awarded:

• The KPMG Children's Books Ireland Book of the Year Award
• Honour Award for Fiction
• Honour Award for Illustration
• Eilís Dillon Award (for a first children's book) - named in honour of writer Eilís Dillon
• The Judges' Special Award
• The Junior Juries' Award (previously the Children’s Choice Award)
• The Reading Hero Award (awarded from 2020 onwards) - presented to a young reader, recognising their potential and celebrating their remarkable passion for books

Previously the winner of Book of the Year won a perpetual trophy and €10,000; the 3 winners of the Merit Awards (the Honour Award for Illustration, the Honour Award for Writing, the Judges' Special Recognition Award) shared a combined prize fund of €6,000; the Eilís Dillon Award winner for first time writers also won a trophy and €3,000. Currently there is a €6,000 prize for the Children’s Book of the Year and a €2,000 prize each for the Honour Award for Fiction, the Honour Award for Illustration, the Eilís Dillon Award, The Judges' Special Award, and The Junior Juries' Award.

In 2010, the Children's Choice award was introduced to mark the 20th anniversary of the Bisto Book of the Year Awards. It was chosen by 10 Junior Juries from all around Ireland, and was awarded to Jane Mitchell's Chalkline. The Judges' Special Recognition Award was not awarded in 2010.

Past winners

Source: Children's Books Ireland

Book of the Year Award

Merit Awards

Éilís Dillon Award for a First Children's Book

Awards in discontinued categories

• Best Emerging Author (1991) – Brian Boru by Morgan Llywelyn, O'Brien Press
• Book for Young Readers (1991) – Grandma's Bill by Martin Waddell, Simon & Schuster
• Illustration (1991) – Fairy Tales of Ireland by P. J. Lynch, Collins
• Historical Fiction (1992) – Wildflower Girl by Marita Conlon-McKenna, O'Brien Press
• Picture Book (1992) – The Sleeping Giant by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, Brandon Books
• First Children's Novel (1992) – The Secret of the Ruby Ring by Yvonne MacGrory, Children's Press
• Information Book (1993) – Tamall sa Chistin by Mairin Uí Chomain, An Gúm
• Teenage Fiction (1993) – Put a Saddle on the Pig by Sam McBratney, Methuen
• Historical Fiction (1993) – Strongbow by Morgan Llywelyn, O'Brien Press

Bisto Children's Book of the Decade (1980–1990)

Fiction: Run with the Wind; Run to Earth; Run Swift; Run Free by Tom McCaughren, Jeanette Dunne (Wolfhound Press)

Information Books: Exploring the Book of Kells: Brendan the Navigator by George Otto Simms, David Rooney (O'Brien Press)

Books for Young Readers: Grandma's Bill by Martin Waddell, illus. Jane Johnson (Simon & Schuster)

Irish Language: An Chanáil by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, transl. Bernadine Nic Ghiolla Phádraig An Gúm

Winners of multiple awards

• Most Bisto Book of the Year Awards: Kate Thompson (4), Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick (4), Siobhán Dowd (2), Chris Haughton (2)
• Most Merit Awards: Oliver Jeffers (9), Kate Thompson (3), P. J. Lynch (3)
• Most Bisto Awards (total): Oliver Jeffers (10), Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick (10), Kate Thompson (7), P. J. Lynch (5), Gerard Whelan (4), Siobhán Dowd (4), Chris Haughton (4), Siobhán Parkinson (3), Éilis Ni Dhuibhne/Elizabeth O'Hara (3)