Percy FitzPatrick Award facts for kids
The Percy FitzPatrick Award is a special prize given to the best children's book written in English in South Africa. It started in 1970 and is named after a famous author, Sir Percy Fitzpatrick. This award celebrates great stories for young readers.
How the Award Started
The South African Library Association (SALA) created this award in 1970. At first, only books written and published in South Africa could win. But many South African authors published their books with companies outside the country. So, in 1977, the rules changed. Books written by South Africans, or books about South Africa, could now be considered.
Who Manages the Award?
In 1980, SALA changed its name to the South African Institute of Librarianship and Information Science (SAILIS). This group continued to manage the award until 1998. Since then, the English Academy of South Africa has been in charge of the Percy FitzPatrick Award.
Important Winners
In 2014, Kagiso Lesego Molope made history. She became the first Black author to win the award.
Past Winners
| Year | Book | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Sing Down the Stars | Neriene Dorman |
| 2018 | Fault Lines | Joanne MacGregor |
| 2016 | The Mark | Edyth Bulbring |
| 2014 | This Book Betrays My Brother | Kagiso Lesego Molope |
| 2012 | Melly, Fatty and Me | Edyth Bulbring |
| 2010 | Daniel Fox and the Jester's Legacy | Andy Petersen |
| 2008 | Superzero | Darrel Bristow-Bovey |
| 2006 | Savannah 2116 AD | Jenny Robson |
| 2004 | The eighth man | Michael Williams |
| 2002 | Skyline | Patricia Schonstein Pinnock |
| 2000 | The slayer of the shadows | Elana Bregin |
| 1994–1995 | The boy who counted to a million | Lawrence Bransby |
| 1992–1993 | Stories South of the Sun | compiled by Christel and Hans Bodenstein and Linda Rode |
| 1990–1991 | 92 Queens Road | Dianne Case |
| 1988–1989 | A Cageful of Butterflies | Lesley Beake |
| 1986–1987 | The Strollers | Lesley Beake |
| 1982–1983 | The Woodash Stars | Marguerite Poland |
| 1979 | The Mantis and the Moon | Marguerite Poland |
| 1970–1978 | No award |
Related Awards
- Olive Schreiner Prize
- Sol Plaatje Prize for Translation
- Thomas Pringle Award
