Winners of Booktrust’s Early Years Awards

Booktrust today announces the winners of the 2008 Early Years Awards. The winning books all exemplify the remarkable creativity in words, design and illustration necessary to encourage young children to read.

The winner of the Baby Book Award:

Is This My Nose? by Georgie Birkett (Red Fox)

The winner of the Pre-School Award:

The Bog Baby by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Gwen Millward (Puffin Books)

Best Emerging Illustrator:

Tim Hopgood for Here Comes Frankie! (Macmillan Children’s Books)

Wendy Cooling presented the winners for each category with a cheque for £2,000 and a customised trophy. The best emerging illustrator was presented with a specially commissioned piece of original artwork donated by the children’s illustrator and judge Annie Kubler. At the end of the ceremony, the actor, and 2008 judge, Andrew Clover treated the audience to a reading of the winning book The Bog Baby.

The publishers of the three winning titles were presented with trophies naming them as one of the Booktrust Early Years Awards Publishers of the Year.

Wendy Cooling, Chair of judges:

“There’s endless variety and lots to get excited about in today’s books for pre-school children – this year’s winners offer involvement, humour, magic, fine illustration and plenty more. These books will really get the very young hooked into reading!”

Viv Bird, Director of Booktrust:

“Booktrust is delighted with this year’s entries and the wealth of books aimed at encouraging parents and children to discover a love of reading. It has been an extraordinary year for entries, particularly in the Best Emerging Illustrator category. The imagination, dedication and creativity of the winning authors and illustrators delighted the judges and will captivate and encourage young readers.”

The judges for the 2008 Early Years Awards were Wendy Cooling, children’s book consultant (Chair); Andrew Clover, author, Sunday Times journalist and actor; John Berry, health visitor; Salma Barakat, librarian, and award winning illustrator Annie Kubler.