Th Costa Children's book Award has been won by ANN KELLEY  for her novel THE BOWER BIRD. The Judges for the award were David Almond, Marilyn Brocklehurst, Julia Somerville and 2 winners of the First News competition, Isha Amin and Amar Mann.

The judges said of the winning book,  ”The world of life and death, beauty and truth seen through the eyes of a 12 year old girl. A rare and beautiful book of lasting quality – we felt this is a voice that needs to be heard and read.”

Synopsis: Gussie lives in Cornwall and, like most twelve-year-olds, is quickly growing up. She is also awaiting news of a heart transplant operation. When Gussie moves from the coast to a new house in town, she rebels, discovers her ancestors and an interest in photography, falls in love and has parent troubles - all whilst experiencing general adolescent angst and trying not to wait for what might never happen.

Buy this Book

The five winners will now contest for the overal Costa Prize. The catgory winners are:

• Catherine O’Flynn, the former postwoman who was rejected by 15 publishers, triumphs taking the Costa First Novel Award for her debut work, What Was Lost ·
• Scottish novelist and stand-up comedian, A.L. Kennedy, wins her first major literary prize with her fifth novel, Day ·
•  Simon Sebag Montefiore wins the Costa Biography Award for his widely-acclaimed work, Young Stalin ·
• Jean Sprackland claims the 2007 Poetry Award for Tilt, acclaimed by the judges as “a great collection …” ·
•  Ann Kelley wins the Children’s Book Award for The Bower Bird, a novel partly inspired by the premature death of her son, Nathan, from a congenital heart and lung condition

The Awards Ceremony takes place at the Intercontinental Hotel in central London on Tuesday 22nd January 2008 and is hosted by Mariella Frostrup.

Further information Costa Book Awards Website