SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED FOR THE CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2020
Digital version – browse, print or download
Can't see the preview?
Click here!
How to print the digital edition of Books for Keeps: click on this PDF file link - click on the printer icon in the top right of the screen to print.
BfK Newsletter
Receive the latest news & reviews direct to your inbox!
The shortlist for the Children’s Book Award 2020 has been announced. This is the award’s 40th Anniversary year and it remains the only national award for children’s books that is voted for entirely by children. To mark the award’s 40th Anniversary, a new category on the shortlist celebrates the most popular books for teens.
Who will win? Children nationwide are now invited to vote for their favourite of the twelve shortlisted books. The deadline for online voting is 12 noon on Friday 15th May.
The Children’s Book Award is owned and coordinated by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups. Past winners include J.K. Rowling, Patrick Ness, Andy Stanton, Malorie Blackman, Anthony Horowitz and Michael Morpurgo, who has won a record four times. The award has often been the first to recognise the future stars of children’s fiction and has the ability to turn popular authors into bestsellers.
The full shortlist for the Children’s Book Award 2020 is as follows:
Books for Younger Children
Jazz Dog, written and illustrated by Marie Voigt, published by OUP
Matisse’s Magical Trail, written by Tim Hopgood and illustrated by Sam Boughton, published by OUP
The Runaway Pea, written by Kjartan Poskitt and illustrated by Alex Willmore, published by Simon & Schuster Children’s Books
Books for Younger Readers
Mutant Zombies Cursed My School Trip, written by Matt Brown and illustrated by Paco Sordo, published by Usborne
Owen and The Soldier, written by Lisa Thompson, published by Barrington Stoke
The Maker of Monsters, written by Lorraine Gregory, published by OUP
Books for Confident Readers
Wildspark, written by Vashti Hardy, published by Scholastic
A Pocketful of Stars, written by Aisha Busby, published by Egmont
D-Day Dog, written by Tom Palmer, published by Barrington Stoke
Books for Older Readers
Becoming Dinah, written by Kit de Waal, published by Hachette Children’s Group
On The Come Up, written by Angie Thomas, published by Walker Books
Two Can Keep a Secret, written by Karen M McManus, published by Penguin
Sarah Stuffins, Children’s Book Award Coordinator says: ‘The children in our local groups have selected another fantastic shortlist and we’re delighted to be able to feature books for an older readership this year to celebrate our 40th Anniversary.’
The category winners and the author of the best children’s book published in the 2019 nomination period will be announced at an awards ceremony in Central London on Saturday 13th June.