# Children's Book Award (UK)

The Children's Book Award is a British literary award for children's books, run by the Federation of Children's Book Groups and previously known as the Red House Children's Book Award. Books published in the U.K. during the preceding calendar year are eligible. It recognises one "Overall" winner and one book in each of three categories: Books for Younger Children, Books for Younger Readers, and Books for Older Readers. The selections are made entirely by children, which is unique among British literary awards.
The Federation of Children's Book Groups owns and coordinates the Award, which it inaugurated in 1981 as the Children's Book Award. Its purpose has been "to celebrate the books that children themselves love reading." From 2001 to 2015 it was sponsored by the mail order bookshop Red House, a brand owned by bookselling company The Book People.

## Process and latest rendition

The 2017 Overall Winner was from the Books for Younger Readers category and was won by Michael Morpurgo and illustrator Michael Foreman for An Eagle in the Snow, published by HarperCollins. The 2017 winners were announced at an Award Ceremony held in London on Saturday 10 June 2017.
The 2016 Overall Winner was from the Books for Younger Readers category and was won by Pamela Butchart and illustrator Thomas Flintham with My Head Teacher Is a Vampire Rat, published by Nosy Crow.
The 2015 Overall Winner was from the Books for Younger Children and was announced at the Imagine Festival in February. The Winners were Oliver Jeffeys and Drew Daywalt with The Day the Crayons Quit published by HarperCollins.
The 2014 Overall winner was from the Older Readers category, announced in mid-February 2014: The 5th Wave, written by Rick Yancey and published by Penguin Books.
Winners are determined by the votes of children on three category ballots composed by nominations from the same group. "Children from around the world" are eligible to participate in both stages. At least in Britain, many children participate through book groups.
The three ballots, or shortlists, comprise those ten books that garner the most nominations. There are four books on the Younger Children ballot and three each on the Younger Readers and Older Readers ballots.

## Winners

Currently the annual awards cover books first published in the U.K. during the calendar year.
From 1992 to 2017 —the period of one Overall and three category awards— 13 Overall winners have come from the Long Novel or Older Readers category, 9 from the Short Novel or Younger Readers category, 4 from the Picture Book or Younger Children category.

### 1980s

Red House Children's Book Award winners, 1981-1989 :
| Year | Author | Title | Publisher |
| 1981 | Quentin Blake | Mister Magnolia | Jonathan Cape |
| 1982 | Leon Garfield | Fair's Fair | Macdonald Young Books |
| 1983 | Roald Dahl, illus. by Quentin Blake | The BFG | Jonathan Cape |
| 1984 | Terry Jones, illus. by Michael Foreman | The Saga of Erik the Viking | Pavilion |
| 1985 | Robert Swindells | Brother in the Land | Oxford University Press |
| 1986 | Amanda Graham | Arthur | Spindlewood |
| 1987 | Janet and Allan Ahlberg | The Jolly Postman | Heinemann |
| 1988 | Valerie Thomas, illus. by Korky Paul | Winnie the Witch | Oxford University Press |
| 1989 | Roald Dahl, illus. by Quentin Blake | Matilda | Jonathan Cape |

### 1990s

Red House Children's Book Award winners, 1981-1989 :
| Year | Category | Author | Title | Publisher |
| 1990 | N/A | Robert Swindells | Room 13 | Doubleday |
| 1991 | N/A | Mick Inkpen | Threadbear | Hodder & Stoughton |
| 1992 | Overall | Elizabeth Laird | Kiss the Dust | Methuen |
| 1992 | Picture Book | Sally Grindley and Peter Utton | SHHH! | ABC |
| 1992 | Short Novel | Dick King-Smith | Find the White Horse | Viking Press |
| 1992 | Long Novel | Elizabeth Laird | Kiss the Dust | Methuen |
| 1993 | Overall | Jacqueline Wilson | The Suitcase Kid | Heinemann |
| 1993 | Picture Book | Berlie Doherty | Snowy | Collins |
| 1993 | Short Novel | Jacqueline Wilson | The Suitcase Kid | Heinemann |
| 1993 | Long Novel | Robert Westall | Gulf | Methuen |
| 1994 | Overall | Ian Strachan | The Boy in the Bubble | Methuen |
| 1994 | Picture Book | Lorna and Graham Philpot | Amazing Anthony Ant | Orion |
| 1994 | Short Novel | Nigel Hinton | The Finders | Viking Press |
| 1994 | Long Novel | Ian Strachan | The Boy in the Bubble | Methuen |
| 1995 | Overall | Dick King-Smith | Harriet's Hare | Doubleday |
| 1995 | Picture Book | Jeanne Willis, illus. by Korky Paul | The Rascally Cake | Andersen Press |
| 1995 | Short Novel | Dick King-Smith | Harriet's Hare | Doubleday |
| 1995 | Long Novel | Sharon Creech | Walk Two Moons | Pan Macmillan |
| 1996 | Overall | Jacqueline Wilson | Double Act | Doubleday |
| 1996 | Picture Book | Paul Geraghty | Solo | Hutchinson |
| 1996 | Short Novel | Jacqueline Wilson | Double Act | Doubleday |
| 1996 | Long Novel | Michael Morpurgo | The Wreck of the Zanzibar | Heinemann |
| 1997 | Overall | Jeremy Strong | The Hundred-Mile-an-Hour Dog | Viking Press |
| 1997 | Picture Book | Debi Gliori | Mr Bear to the Rescue | The O'Brien Press |
| 1997 | Short Novel | Jeremy Strong | The Hundred-Mile-an-Hour Dog | Viking Press |
| 1997 | Long Novel | Ian Strachan | Which Way Is Home? | Methuen |
| 1998 | Overall | J. K. Rowling | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | Bloomsbury |
| 1998 | Picture Book | Giles Andreae | The Lion Who Wanted to Love | Orchard Books |
| 1998 | Short Novel | Robert Swindells | Nightmare Stairs | Doubleday |
| 1998 | Long Novel | J. K. Rowling | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | Bloomsbury |
| 1999 | Overall | J. K. Rowling | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | Bloomsbury |
| 1999 | Picture Book | Kate Lum, illus. by Adrian Johnson | What! | Bloomsbury |
| 1999 | Short Novel | Pat Moon, illus. by Nick Sharratt | Little Dad | Mammoth |
| 1999 | Long Novel | J. K. Rowling | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | Bloomsbury |

### 2000s

Red House Children's Book Award, 2000-2009 :
| Year | Category | Author | Title | Publisher |
| 2000 | Overall | Michael Morpurgo, illus. by Michael Foreman | Kensuke's Kingdom | Heinemann |
| 2000 | Picture Book | Nicholas Allan | Demon Teddy | Hutchinson |
| 2000 | Short Novel | Michael Morpurgo, illus. by Michael Foreman | Kensuke's Kingdom | Heinemann |
| 2000 | Long Novel | J. K. Rowling | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | Bloomsbury |
| 2001 | Overall | Kes Gray, illus. by Nick Sharratt | Eat Your Peas | The Bodley Head |
| 2001 | Picture Book | Kes Gray, illus. by Nick Sharratt | Eat Your Peas | The Bodley Head |
| 2001 | Short Novel | Jacqueline Wilson, illus. by Nick Sharratt | Lizzie Zipmouth | Corgi |
| 2001 | Long Novel | J. K. Rowling | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | Bloomsbury |
| 2002 | Overall | Malorie Blackman | Noughts and Crosses | Corgi |
| 2002 | Younger Children | Allan Ahlberg, illus. by Katharine McEwen | The Man Who Wore All His Clothes | Walker Books |
| 2002 | Younger Readers | Michael Morpurgo | Out of the Ashes | Macmillan |
| 2002 | Older Readers | Malorie Blackman | Noughts and Crosses | Corgi |
| 2003 | Overall | Anthony Horowitz | Skeleton Key | Walker Books |
| 2003 | Younger Children | Giles Andreae, illus. by Nick Sharratt | Pants | David Fickling |
| 2003 | Younger Readers | Robert Swindells | Blitzed | Doubleday |
| 2003 | Older Readers | Anthony Horowitz | Skeleton Key | Walker Books |
| 2004 | Overall | Michael Morpurgo | Private Peaceful | HarperCollins |
| 2004 | Younger Children | Kes Gray, illus. by Garry Parsons | Billy's Bucket | The Bodley Head |
| 2004 | Younger Readers | Gwyneth Rees | The Mum Hunt | Macmillan |
| 2004 | Older Readers | Michael Morpurgo | Private Peaceful | HarperCollins |
| 2005 | Overall | Simon James | Baby Brains | Walker Books |
| 2005 | Younger Children | Simon James | Baby Brains | Walker Books |
| 2005 | Younger Readers | Jacqueline Wilson | Best Friends | Doubleday |
| 2005 | Older Readers | Robert Muchamore | CHERUB: The Recruit | Hodder |
| 2006 | Overall | Rick Riordan | The Lightning Thief | Disney Hyperion |
| 2006 | Younger Children | Jonathan Emmett and Steve Cox | Pigs Might Fly! | Puffin |
| 2006 | Younger Readers | Andrew Cope | Spy Dog | Puffin |
| 2006 | Older Readers | Rick Riordan | The Lightning Thief | Disney Hyperion |
| 2007 | Overall | Andy Stanton | You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum! | Egmont |
| 2007 | Younger Children | Jeanne Willis, illus. by Adrian Reynolds | Who's in the Loo? | Andersen Press |
| 2007 | Younger Readers | Andy Stanton | You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum! | Egmont |
| 2007 | Older Readers | Sophie McKenzie | Girl, Missing | Simon & Schuster |
| 2008 | Overall | Derek Landy | Skulduggery Pleasant | HarperCollins |
| 2008 | Younger Children | Polly Dunbar | Penguin | Walker Books |
| 2008 | Younger Readers | Chris Riddell | Ottoline and the Yellow Cat | Macmillan |
| 2008 | Older Readers | Derek Landy | Skulduggery Pleasant | HarperCollins |
| 2009 | Overall | Sophie McKenzie | Blood Ties | Simon & Schuster |
| 2009 | Younger Children | Allan Ahlberg, illus. by Bruce Ingman | The Pencil | Walker Books |
| 2009 | Younger Readers | Kes Gray, illus. by Nick Sharratt and Garry Parsons | Daisy and the Trouble with Zoos | Transworld |
| 2009 | Older Readers | Sophie McKenzie | Blood Ties | Simon & Schuster |

### 2010s

Red House Children's Book Award, 2010-2019 :
| Year | Category | Author | Title | Publisher |
| 2010 | Overall | Suzanne Collins | The Hunger Games | Scholastic |
| 2010 | Younger Children | Jeanne Willis, illus. by Adam Stower | Bottoms Up! | Puffin |
| 2010 | Younger Readers | Tanya Landman | Mondays Are Murder | Walker Books |
| 2010 | Older Readers | Suzanne Collins | The Hunger Games | Scholastic |
| 2011 | Overall | Michael Morpurgo | Shadow | HarperCollins |
| 2011 | Younger Children | Angela McAllister, illus. by Alison Edgson | Yuck! That's Not a Monster! | Little Tiger Press |
| 2011 | Younger Readers | Michael Morpurgo | Shadow | HarperCollins |
| 2011 | Older Readers | Alex Scarrow | Time Riders | Penguin |
| 2012 | Overall | Patrick Ness and Jim Kay | A Monster Calls | Walker Books |
| 2012 | Younger Children | Chris Wormell | Scruffy Bear and the Six White Mice | Jonathan Cape |
| 2012 | Younger Readers | Liz Pichon | The Brilliant World of Tom Gates | Scholastic |
| 2012 | Older Readers | Patrick Ness and Jim Kay | A Monster Calls | Walker Books |
| 2013 | Overall | Andrew Weale, illus. by Lee Wildish | The Spooky Spooky House | Corgi |
| 2013 | Younger Children | Andrew Weale, illus. by Lee Wildish | The Spooky Spooky House | Corgi |
| 2013 | Younger Readers | David Walliams, illus. by Tony Ross | Gangsta Granny | HarperCollins |
| 2013 | Older Readers | Sophie McKenzie | The Medusa Project: Hit Squad | Simon & Schuster |
| 2014 | Overall | Rick Yancey | The 5th Wave | Penguin |
| 2014 | Younger Children | Julia Donaldson, illus. by Axel Scheffler | Superworm | Scholastic |
| 2014 | Younger Readers | Jennifer Gray | Atticus Claw Breaks the Law | Faber |
| 2014 | Older Readers | Rick Yancey | The 5th Wave | Penguin |
| 2015 | Overall | Drew Daywalt, illus. by Oliver Jeffers | The Day the Crayons Quit | HarperCollins |
| 2015 | Younger Children | Drew Daywalt, illus. by Oliver Jeffers | The Day the Crayons Quit | HarperCollins |
| 2015 | Younger Readers | David Walliams | Demon Dentist | HarperCollins |
| 2015 | Older Readers | Sophie McKenzie | Split Second | Simon and Schuster |
| 2016 | Overall | Pamela Butchart, illus. by Thomas Flintham | My Head Teacher Is a Vampire Rat | Nosy Crow |
| 2016 | Younger Children | Viviane Schwarz | Is There a Dog in This Book? | Walker Books |
| 2016 | Younger Readers | Pamela Butchart, illus. by Thomas Flintham | My Head Teacher Is a Vampire Rat | Nosy Crow |
| 2016 | Older Readers | Sarah Crossan | Apple and Rain | Bloomsbury |
| 2017 | Overall | Michael Morpurgo, illus. by Michael Foreman | An Eagle in the Snow | HarperCollins |
| 2017 | Younger Children | Kes and Claire Gray, illus. by Jim Field | Oi Dog! | Hachette |
| 2017 | Younger Readers | Michael Morpurgo, illus. by Michael Foreman | An Eagle in the Snow | HarperCollins |
| 2017 | Older Readers | Sarah Crossan | One | Bloomsbury |
| 2019 | Overall | Arree Chung | Mixed | Macmillan |
| 2019 | Younger Children | Arree Chung | Mixed | Macmillan |
| 2019 | Younger Readers | Eoin Colfer, illus. by P. J. Lynch | The Dog Who Lost His Bark | Walker Books |
| 2019 | Older Readers | Tom Palmer | Armistice Runner | Barrington Stoke |
2020s :
| Year | Category | Author | Work | Publisher |
| 2020 | Overall | Tom Palmer | D-Day Dog | |
| 2020 | Younger Children | Kjartan Poskitt | The Runaway Pea | |
| 2020 | Younger Readers | Zanna Davidson | Mutant Zombies Cursed My School Trip | |
| 2020 | Older Readers | Angie Thomas | On the Come Up | |
| 2020 | Confident Readers | Tom Palmer | D-Day Dog | |
| 2022 | Overall | Peter Bently | Octopus Shocktopus! | |
| 2022 | Younger Children | Peter Bently | Octopus Shocktopus! | |
| 2022 | Younger Readers | M. G. Leonard | The Highland Falcon Thief | |
| 2022 | Older Readers | Liz Kessler | When the World Was Ours | |
| 2023 | Overall | Louie Stowell | Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Being Good | |
| 2023 | Younger Children | Olaf Falafel | Blobfish | |
| 2023 | Younger Readers | Louie Stowell | Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Being Good | |
| 2023 | Older Readers | Jennifer Killick | Dread Wood | |
| 2024 | Overall | Thomas Flintham | Press Start! Game On, Super Rabbit Boy! | Nosy Crow |
| 2024 | Younger Children | Rob Biddulph | Gigantic | HarperCollins |
| 2024 | Younger Readers | Thomas Flintham | Press Start! Game On, Super Rabbit Boy! | Nosy Crow |
| 2024 | Older Readers | Matt Goodfellow | The Final Year | Otter-Barry Books |

## Winners of multiple awards

Prior to winning the 2012 Red House Award, Overall, A Monster Calls was named the 2011 British Children's Book of the Year. Subsequently, Ness and Kay as writer and illustrator won both annual children's book awards from the professional librarians, the Carnegie Medal and Greenaway Medal; that double award alone was an unprecedented sweep. In fact, no previous Children's/Red House Award winner (Overall) has won the Carnegie Medal and only one has won the Greenaway Medal for illustration: the inaugural Children's winner Mr Magnolia (Jonathan Cape, 1980), written and illustrated by Quentin Blake.

### Authors with multiple Children's/Red House Awards

Michael Morpurgo has won four Overall awards for Kensuke's Kingdom in 2000, Private Peaceful in 2004, Shadow in 2011 and An Eagle in the Snow in 2017. He has also won category awards for The Wreck of the Zanzibar in 1996 and Out of Ashes in 2002.
Four other authors have won two Overall awards:
* Roald Dahl 1983, 1989
* Robert Swindells 1985, 1990
* Jacqueline Wilson 1993, 1996
* J. K. Rowling 1998, 1999
J. K. Rowling won the Long Novel category four years in succession, 1998 to 2001, for the first four Harry Potter books.