British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year facts for kids
The British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year is a special prize given every year to the best books for kids and young people in the UK. It's part of the bigger British Book Awards, also known as the Nibbies. This award started in 1996. It took the place of two older awards: the British Illustrated Children's Book of the Year and the British Children's Author of the Year.
The award is currently supported by W H Smith, a well-known shop. Before, it was sponsored by Red House. The award was first called the "British Children's Book Award." In 2010, its name changed to "Children's Book of the Year."
Winning Books: A Look Back
This award celebrates amazing books that kids and teens love. Many famous authors have won this prize.
Winners from 1996 to 2014
Here are some of the books that won the award between 1996 and 2014:
Winners from 2017 to Present
The award continued with more great books from 2017 onwards:
| Year | Author | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Kiran Millwood Hargrave | The Girl of Ink & Stars |
| 2018 | Robert Macfarlane (writer) and Jackie Morris | The Lost Words |
| Angie Thomas | The Hate U Give | |
| 2019 | David Walliams | The Ice Monster |
| 2020 | Holly Jackson | A Good Girl's Guide to Murder |
Shortlisted Books
Each year, several books are chosen as finalists for the award. This list is called the "shortlist." The winner is then picked from these books.
2006 Shortlist
- Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz (This book won!)
- I, Coriander by Sally Gardner
- SilverFin by Charlie Higson
- Eldest by Christopher Paolini
- ...and that's when it fell off in my hand by Louise Rennison
- Wizardology: The Book of the Secrets of Merlin by Douglas Steer
2007 Shortlist
- Flanimals of the Deep by Ricky Gervais (This book won!)
- The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
- The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers
- Peter Pan in Scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean
- Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
- Horrid Henry and the Football Fiend by Francesca Simon and Tony Ross
2008 Shortlist
- Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman by Francesca Simon and Tony Ross (This book won!)
- That's Not My Penguin by Fiona Watte
- Katie Price's Perfect Ponies by Katie Price
- Born to Run by Michael Morpurgo
- Kiss by Jacqueline Wilson
Past Awards for Children's Books
Before the current Children's Book of the Year award, there were two other important awards for children's literature.
British Children's Author of the Year
This award was given to the best children's author each year. It started in 1990 and ended in 1995.
Winners of Author of the Year
| Year | Author |
|---|---|
| 1990 | Roald Dahl |
| 1991 | Anne Fine |
| 1992 | Dick King-Smith |
| 1993 | Raymond Briggs |
| 1994 | Anne Fine |
| 1995 | Janet and Allan Ahlberg |
British Illustrated Children's Book of the Year
This award celebrated the best children's books with amazing pictures. It started in 1991 and also ended in 1995.
Winners of Illustrated Book of the Year
| Year | Author/Illustrator | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Nicola Bayley | The Mousehole Cat |
| 1992 | Martin Waddell (illustrated by Helen Oxenbury) | Farmer Duck |
| 1993 | Mick Inkpen | Penguin Small |
| 1994 | Babette Cole | Mummy Laid an Egg |
| 1995 | Jay Young | The Amazing Pop-Up Science Book |
