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Written by Nikki Gamble
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Thursday, 25 June 2009 |
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 Two years after her untimely death from breast cancer at the age of 47, Siobhan Dowd’s fourth and final novel, ‘Bog Child’, has been awarded the prestigious CILIP Carnegie Medal 2009. It was written in the spring of 2007, at the time Waterstones named her in their list of top 25 great writers of the future.
Editor and publisher, David Fickling commented on her achievement: “This is the greatest endorsement of the quality of Siobhan’s writing yet, The CILIP Carnegie Medal has real integrity and is unique amongst literary awards: there is no prize money; it does not reflect the commercial interests of publishers and book-sellers; it does not depend on votes or the celebrity status of the author. Judged by librarians who spend their lives connecting young people to good writing it is the purest recognition of quality writing for children.” “Set against the bleakest of backdrops, ‘Bog Child’ is also profoundly heart warming,” commented Chair of the Judges, Joy Court. “This is thanks to Dowd’s extraordinary ability to illuminate the dark corners of human existence. The reader is drawn totally into Fergus’s world; the turbulence of adolescence is vividly portrayed and equally vividly evoked is the political conflict of the time. Her story is told with great sympathy without ever descending into sentimentality, and there’s a surprising amount of humour too. A truly outstanding novel of great humanity.” The 2009 winners were announced at a ceremony at BAFTA, Piccadilly, London on Thursday 25 June. Write Away's interview with Siobhan Dowd A story starter by Siobhan Dowd Acceptance speech
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HARE IS FIRST PAST THE FINISHING POST |
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Written by Nikki Gamble
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Thursday, 25 June 2009 |
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 27 year old Edinburgh based illustrator, Catherine Rayner has won the 2009 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal with her picturebook, Harris Finds His Feet The story was inspired by a wild hare and her own large-ish feet.
Harris, a small hare with big feet goes out into the world with his Grandad, from whom he learns not only how to hop high into the sky and run very fast, but also about the joys of growing up and of independence. Of this year’s winning book, Joy Court, Chair of the CILIP Kate Greenaway judging panel comments: “Harris is a triumph, from the way he moves and his expressions to his velvety fur and his oversized feet. His relationship with his Grandad is beautifully evoked as are the times of day and the textures of the exquisite landscapes around him, in a book which oozes charm and glows with colour.” In 2006, Rayner was named Best New Illustrator at the Booktrust Early Years Awards, and in the December of that year, ‘Augustus and His Smile’ was selected as one of five picture books to be recommended on Channel 4’s ‘Richard and Judy Christmas Party’. In 2008 she was selected as one of the ten best new illustrators for Booktrust’s ‘Big Picture Campaign’, an initiative designed to put picture books firmly in the public eye. Write Away's interview with Catherine Rayner
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FROM ONE LAUREATE TO ANOTHER |
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Written by Nikki Gamble
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Tuesday, 09 June 2009 |
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 Anthony Browne was very warmly received as the new Children’s Laureate by those attending the inauguration event at Centrepoint, including Lord Chris Smith, the Secretary of State for the Department of Culture Media and Sport who first approved funding for the laureateship at its inception ten years ago. Also attending were former Laureates Jacqueline Wilson and Anthony’s immediate predecessor, Michael Rosen, who has done such a remarkable job over the last two years, particularly with the A to Z of Poetry, the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat, still on at the British Library until 28th June.
The announcement of the new Children’s Laureate was made by Andrew Motion, former Poet Laureate, who paid tribute to Anthony along the lines of Wallace Stevens’ Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird by citing ten ways of looking at Anthony Browne! In accepting the Laureateship, Anthony appropriately illustrated his declared intention of focusing on picturebooks and encouraging all ages of children and adults to enjoy and appreciate them, by playing his famous Shape Game, with his brother Michael, as they had as children, and then with children in the audience – winners of the competition to predict the new Laureate and write a nomination for him. Anthony noted that this fundamental creativity was still part of the creation of his books. During the next two years he wants to get the whole country playing the Shape Game! Anthony Browne pictured here receiving his medal from immediate past Laureate, Michael Rosen. Photo copyright Booktrust. Picture credit Asimina Giagoudaki Report by Kathy Lemaire who attended the ceremony for Write Away.
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