Children's Book Award (UK) facts for kids
The Children's Book Award is a special British award for children's books. It is run by the Federation of Children's Book Groups. This award used to be called the Red House Children's Book Award.
To be considered, books must have been published in the U.K. during the year before the award. The award picks one main "Overall" winner. It also chooses a winner in three different groups: Books for Younger Children, Books for Younger Readers, and Books for Older Readers. What makes this award unique is that only children choose the winners!
The Federation of Children's Book Groups started this award in 1981. Their goal has always been "to celebrate the books that children themselves love reading." From 2001 to 2015, a bookshop called Red House helped sponsor the award.
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How Winners Are Chosen
Children from all over the world can help choose the winners. They do this by nominating their favorite books. Many children in Britain take part through special book groups.
First, children nominate books. The ten books with the most nominations are put on a "shortlist." There are four books on the Younger Children list. The Younger Readers and Older Readers lists each have three books. Then, children vote for their favorite book from these shortlists. Their votes decide the winners!
The 2024 Overall Winner was Press Start! Game On, Super Rabbit Boy! by Thomas Flintham. This book won in the Younger Readers category. The winners for 2024 were announced earlier this year.
From 1992 to 2017, there was one Overall winner and three category awards. During this time, 13 Overall winners came from the Older Readers group. Nine winners were from the Younger Readers group. Four winners were from the Younger Children group.
Award Winners
The annual awards are for books first published in the U.K. during the previous calendar year.
1980s Winners
Year | Author | Title | Publisher |
---|---|---|---|
1981 | Quentin Blake | Mister Magnolia | Jonathan Cape |
1982 | Leon Garfield | Fair's Fair | Macdonald Young Books |
1983 | Roald Dahl, illus. by Quentin Blake | The BFG | Jonathan Cape |
1984 | Terry Jones, illus. by Michael Foreman | The Saga of Erik the Viking | Pavilion |
1985 | Robert Swindells | Brother in the Land | Oxford University Press |
1986 | Amanda Graham | Arthur | Spindlewood |
1987 | Janet and Allan Ahlberg | The Jolly Postman | Heinemann |
1988 | Valerie Thomas, illus. by Korky Paul | Winnie the Witch | Oxford University Press |
1989 | Roald Dahl, illus. by Quentin Blake | Matilda | Jonathan Cape |
1990s Winners
Year | Category | Author | Title | Publisher |
---|---|---|---|---|
1990 | N/A | Robert Swindells | Room 13 | Doubleday |
1991 | N/A | Mick Inkpen | Threadbear | Hodder & Stoughton |
1992 | Overall | Elizabeth Laird | Kiss the Dust | Methuen |
Picture Book | Sally Grindley and Peter Utton | SHHH! | ABC | |
Short Novel | Dick King-Smith | Find the White Horse | Viking Press | |
Long Novel | Elizabeth Laird | Kiss the Dust | Methuen | |
1993 | Overall | Jacqueline Wilson | The Suitcase Kid | Heinemann |
Picture Book | Berlie Doherty | Snowy | Collins | |
Short Novel | Jacqueline Wilson | The Suitcase Kid | Heinemann | |
Long Novel | Robert Westall | Gulf | Methuen | |
1994 | Overall | Ian Strachan | The Boy in the Bubble | Methuen |
Picture Book | Lorna and Graham Philpot | Amazing Anthony Ant | Orion | |
Short Novel | Nigel Hinton | The Finders | Viking Press | |
Long Novel | Ian Strachan | The Boy in the Bubble | Methuen | |
1995 | Overall | Dick King-Smith | Harriet's Hare | Doubleday |
Picture Book | Jeanne Willis, illus. by Korky Paul | The Rascally Cake | Andersen Press | |
Short Novel | Dick King-Smith | Harriet's Hare | Doubleday | |
Long Novel | Sharon Creech | Walk Two Moons | Pan Macmillan | |
1996 | Overall | Jacqueline Wilson | Double Act | Doubleday |
Picture Book | Paul Geraghty | Solo | Hutchinson | |
Short Novel | Jacqueline Wilson | Double Act | Doubleday | |
Long Novel | Michael Morpurgo | The Wreck of the Zanzibar | Heinemann | |
1997 | Overall | Jeremy Strong | The Hundred-Mile-an-Hour Dog | Viking Press |
Picture Book | Debi Gliori | Mr Bear to the Rescue | The O'Brien Press | |
Short Novel | Jeremy Strong | The Hundred-Mile-an-Hour Dog | Viking Press | |
Long Novel | Ian Strachan | Which Way Is Home? | Methuen | |
1998 | Overall | J. K. Rowling | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | Bloomsbury |
Picture Book | Giles Andreae | The Lion Who Wanted to Love | Orchard Books | |
Short Novel | Robert Swindells | Nightmare Stairs | Doubleday | |
Long Novel | J. K. Rowling | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | Bloomsbury | |
1999 | Overall | J. K. Rowling | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | Bloomsbury |
Picture Book | Kate Lum, illus. by Adrian Johnson | What! | Bloomsbury | |
Short Novel | Pat Moon, illus. by Nick Sharratt | Little Dad | Mammoth | |
Long Novel | J. K. Rowling | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | Bloomsbury |
2000s Winners
Year | Category | Author | Title | Publisher | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | Overall | Michael Morpurgo, illus. by Michael Foreman | Kensuke's Kingdom | Heinemann | |
Picture Book | Nicholas Allan | Demon Teddy | Hutchinson | ||
Short Novel | Michael Morpurgo, illus. by Michael Foreman | Kensuke's Kingdom | Heinemann | ||
Long Novel | J. K. Rowling | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | Bloomsbury | ||
2001 | Overall | Kes Gray, illus. by Nick Sharratt | Eat Your Peas | The Bodley Head | |
Picture Book | Kes Gray, illus. by Nick Sharratt | Eat Your Peas | The Bodley Head | ||
Short Novel | Jacqueline Wilson, illus. by Nick Sharratt | Lizzie Zipmouth | Corgi | ||
Long Novel | J. K. Rowling | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | Bloomsbury | ||
2002 | Overall | Malorie Blackman | Noughts and Crosses | Corgi | |
Younger Children | Allan Ahlberg, illus. by Katharine McEwen | The Man Who Wore All His Clothes | Walker Books | ||
Younger Readers | Michael Morpurgo | Out of the Ashes | Macmillan | ||
Older Readers | Malorie Blackman | Noughts and Crosses | Corgi | ||
2003 | Overall | Anthony Horowitz | Skeleton Key | Walker Books | |
Younger Children | Giles Andreae, illus. by Nick Sharratt | Pants | David Fickling | ||
Younger Readers | Robert Swindells | Blitzed | Doubleday | ||
Older Readers | Anthony Horowitz | Skeleton Key | Walker Books | ||
2004 | Overall | Michael Morpurgo | Private Peaceful | HarperCollins | |
Younger Children | Kes Gray, illus. by Garry Parsons | Billy's Bucket | The Bodley Head | ||
Younger Readers | Gwyneth Rees | The Mum Hunt | Macmillan | ||
Older Readers | Michael Morpurgo | Private Peaceful | HarperCollins | ||
2005 | Overall | Simon James | Baby Brains | Walker Books | |
Younger Children | Simon James | Baby Brains | Walker Books | ||
Younger Readers | Jacqueline Wilson | Best Friends | Doubleday | ||
Older Readers | Robert Muchamore | CHERUB: The Recruit | Hodder | ||
2006 | Overall | Rick Riordan | The Lightning Thief | Disney Hyperion | |
Younger Children | Jonathan Emmett and Steve Cox | Pigs Might Fly! | Puffin | ||
Younger Readers | Andrew Cope | Spy Dog | Puffin | ||
Older Readers | Rick Riordan | The Lightning Thief | Disney Hyperion | ||
2007 | Overall | Andy Stanton | You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum! | Egmont | |
Younger Children | Jeanne Willis, illus. by Adrian Reynolds | Who's in the Loo? | Andersen Press | ||
Younger Readers | Andy Stanton | You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum! | Egmont | ||
Older Readers | Sophie McKenzie | Girl, Missing | Simon & Schuster | ||
2008 | Overall | Derek Landy | Skulduggery Pleasant | HarperCollins | |
Younger Children | Polly Dunbar | Penguin | Walker Books | ||
Younger Readers | Chris Riddell | Ottoline and the Yellow Cat | Macmillan | ||
Older Readers | Derek Landy | Skulduggery Pleasant | HarperCollins | ||
2009 | Overall | Sophie McKenzie | Blood Ties | Simon & Schuster | |
Younger Children | Allan Ahlberg, illus. by Bruce Ingman | The Pencil | Walker Books | ||
Younger Readers | Kes Gray, illus. by Nick Sharratt and Garry Parsons | Daisy and the Trouble with Zoos | Transworld | ||
Older Readers | Sophie McKenzie | Blood Ties | Simon & Schuster |
2010s Winners
Year | Category | Author | Title | Publisher | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | Overall | Suzanne Collins | The Hunger Games | Scholastic | |
Younger Children | Jeanne Willis, illus. by Adam Stower | Bottoms Up! | Puffin | ||
Younger Readers | Tanya Landman | Mondays Are Murder | Walker Books | ||
Older Readers | Suzanne Collins | The Hunger Games | Scholastic | ||
2011 | Overall | Michael Morpurgo | Shadow | HarperCollins | |
Younger Children | Angela McAllister, illus. by Alison Edgson | Yuck! That's Not a Monster! | Little Tiger Press | ||
Younger Readers | Michael Morpurgo | Shadow | HarperCollins | ||
Older Readers | Alex Scarrow | Time Riders | Penguin | ||
2012 | Overall | Patrick Ness and Jim Kay | A Monster Calls | Walker Books | |
Younger Children | Chris Wormell | Scruffy Bear and the Six White Mice | Jonathan Cape | ||
Younger Readers | Liz Pichon | The Brilliant World of Tom Gates | Scholastic | ||
Older Readers | Patrick Ness and Jim Kay | A Monster Calls | Walker Books | ||
2013 | Overall | Andrew Weale, illus. by Lee Wildish | The Spooky Spooky House | Corgi | |
Younger Children | Andrew Weale, illus. by Lee Wildish | The Spooky Spooky House | Corgi | ||
Younger Readers | David Walliams, illus. by Tony Ross | Gangsta Granny | HarperCollins | ||
Older Readers | Sophie McKenzie | The Medusa Project: Hit Squad | Simon & Schuster | ||
2014 | Overall | Rick Yancey | The 5th Wave | Penguin | |
Younger Children | Julia Donaldson, illus. by Axel Scheffler | Superworm | Scholastic | ||
Younger Readers | Jennifer Gray | Atticus Claw Breaks the Law | Faber | ||
Older Readers | Rick Yancey | The 5th Wave | Penguin | ||
2015 | Overall | Drew Daywalt, illus. by Oliver Jeffers | The Day the Crayons Quit | HarperCollins | |
Younger Children | Drew Daywalt, illus. by Oliver Jeffers | The Day the Crayons Quit | HarperCollins | ||
Younger Readers | David Walliams | Demon Dentist | HarperCollins | ||
Older Readers | Sophie McKenzie | Split Second | Simon and Schuster | ||
2016 | Overall | Pamela Butchart, illus. by Thomas Flintham | My Head Teacher Is a Vampire Rat | Nosy Crow | |
Younger Children | Viviane Schwarz | Is There a Dog in This Book? | Walker Books | ||
Younger Readers | Pamela Butchart, illus. by Thomas Flintham | My Head Teacher Is a Vampire Rat | Nosy Crow | ||
Older Readers | Sarah Crossan | Apple and Rain | Bloomsbury | ||
2017 | Overall | Michael Morpurgo, illus. by Michael Foreman | An Eagle in the Snow | HarperCollins | |
Younger Children | Kes and Claire Gray, illus. by Jim Field | Oi Dog! | Hachette | ||
Younger Readers | Michael Morpurgo, illus. by Michael Foreman | An Eagle in the Snow | HarperCollins | ||
Older Readers | Sarah Crossan | One | Bloomsbury | ||
2019 | Overall | Arree Chung | Mixed | Macmillan | |
Younger Children | Arree Chung | Mixed | Macmillan | ||
Younger Readers | Eoin Colfer, illus. by P. J. Lynch | The Dog Who Lost His Bark | Walker Books | ||
Older Readers | Tom Palmer | Armistice Runner | Barrington Stoke |
2020s Winners
Year | Category | Author | Work | Publisher | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | Overall | Tom Palmer | D-Day Dog | ||
Younger Children | Kjartan Poskitt | The Runaway Pea | |||
Younger Readers | Zanna Davidson | Mutant Zombies Cursed My School Trip | |||
Older Readers | Angie Thomas | On the Come Up | |||
Confident Readers | Tom Palmer | D-Day Dog | |||
2022 | Overall | Peter Bently | Octopus Shocktopus! | ||
Younger Children | Peter Bently | Octopus Shocktopus! | |||
Younger Readers | M. G. Leonard | The Highland Falcon Thief | |||
Older Readers | Liz Kessler | When the World Was Ours | |||
2023 | Overall | Louie Stowell | Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Being Good | ||
Younger Children | Olaf Falafel | Blobfish | |||
Younger Readers | Louie Stowell | Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Being Good | |||
Older Readers | Jennifer Killick | Dread Wood | |||
2024 | Overall | Thomas Flintham | Press Start! Game On, Super Rabbit Boy! | Nosy Crow | |
Younger Children | Rob Biddulph | Gigantic | HarperCollins | ||
Younger Readers | Thomas Flintham | Press Start! Game On, Super Rabbit Boy! | Nosy Crow | ||
Older Readers | Matt Goodfellow | The Final Year | Otter-Barry Books |
Authors with Many Awards
Some authors have won the Children's Book Award many times.
Michael Morpurgo has won the main "Overall" award four times. These wins were for Kensuke's Kingdom (2000), Private Peaceful (2004), Shadow (2011), and An Eagle in the Snow (2017). He also won category awards for The Wreck of the Zanzibar (1996) and Out of Ashes (2002).
Four other authors have won the "Overall" award twice:
- Roald Dahl (1983, 1989)
- Robert Swindells (1985, 1990)
- Jacqueline Wilson (1993, 1996)
- J. K. Rowling (1998, 1999)
J. K. Rowling won the Long Novel category for four years in a row. This was from 1998 to 2001, for the first four Harry Potter books.
The book A Monster Calls won the Overall Red House Award in 2012. It also won the British Children's Book of the Year in 2011. The writer, Patrick Ness, and illustrator, Jim Kay, also won two big awards from librarians: the Carnegie Medal and the Greenaway Medal. This was a very rare achievement! Before this, no other Children's/Red House Award winner had won the Carnegie Medal. Only one had won the Greenaway Medal for its pictures: Mr Magnolia by Quentin Blake in 1981.