Published: 12 Jan 2017
Author Nick Sharratt has been announced as the winner of the very first Bookbug Picture Book Prize for his picture book Shark in the Park on a Windy Day, published by Random House.
Sharratt beat off stiff competition from the other two shortlisted authors, Ross Collins and Alison Murray, to take 45% of the votes.
The prize, voted for exclusively by 19,000 Scottish children aged 3-7, was set up in 2016 to celebrate the most popular picture books by Scottish authors or illustrators, and is run by Scottish Book Trust with support from Creative Scotland. Shortlisted authors and illustrators receive £500 per book, and the winner will receive £3,000.
This award really counts for authors. It's a chance for young readers to make their own minds up and vote for their favourites.- Aly Barr, Creative Scotland
Commenting on the prize, Nick said: “I am absolutely delighted that ‘Shark in the Park on a Windy Day’ has won the 2017 Bookbug Picture Book Prize. It was wonderful to have my book included in the Bookbug bag as part of Scottish Book Trust's brilliant Bookbug project and to win this award really is the icing on the cake.
"I've had the pleasure of going into scores of Scottish schools, nurseries and libraries to work with hundreds of children over the past few years, so the fact that the voting was decided upon by the country's young readers makes the prize all the more special.”
Shark in the Park on a Windy Day is the third book in the best-selling Shark in the Park series, where little Timothy Pope is blown this way and that as readers join him in peeping through his telescope.
Nick has worked as an illustrator and author of children's books since the late 1980s and has created illustrations for close to 250 books. As well as producing around 60 of his own books (which have been translated into more than a dozen languages) he’s worked with numerous writers including Julia Donaldson, Michael Rosen and Giles Andreae. His most famous collaboration is with Jacqueline Wilson, for whom he has illustrated more than 40 fiction titles.
Heather Collins, Schools Programme Manager, said: “It's fantastic to see our brand new Bookbug Picture Book prize get off to such a strong start, with tens of thousands of children up and down the country reading, sharing and voting for their favourite title. This is in no small part due to the enthusiasm and hard work of teachers, parents and librarians, and their commitment to ensuring that Scottish children grow surrounded by books and cuddles.”
Aly Barr, Acting Head of Literature, Languages and Publishing at Creative Scotland, said: “This award, more than many others, is one that really counts for authors. It's not only a chance for young readers to make their own minds up and vote for their favourites; it's a way to reverse the polarity and have the readers connect with the writer.”
A free copy of each of the three books on the shortlist, There’s a Bear on My Chair by Ross Collins, Hare and Tortoise, The Favourite Aesop’s Fable by Alison Murray and Shark in the Park on a Windy Day by Nick Sharratt was given to every Primary 1 child during Book Week Scotland 2016, in the Bookbug P1 Family Bag.
Helen Croney, Scottish Book Trust: helen.croney@scottishbooktrust.com / 0131 524 0175 or 07751 69 58 54
The Bookbug P1 Family Bag was produced by Scottish Book Trust in conjunction with Education Scotland and the Scottish Government as part of Read, Write, Count – a new literacy and numeracy campaign aimed at children in Primary 1 to 3.
The Bookbug Picture Book Prize is managed by Scottish Book Trust in partnership with Creative Scotland, and is supported by Waterstones. Teachers, librarians and book group leaders sign up their groups, then the children read and vote for their favourite books. A Shared Reading scheme, which involves older primary children reading to their younger buddies, is run in 4 local authorities. It is funded by the Crerar Hotels Trust.
Videos of each author/illustrator reading and talking about their book are available at www.scottishbooktrust.com/bpbp
Scottish Book Trust is a national charity changing lives through reading and writing. Scottish Book Trust believes that books and reading have the power to change lives. As a national charity, we inspire and support the people of Scotland to read and write for pleasure.
Find out more at www.scottishbooktrust.com and follow @scottishbktrust and www.facebook.com/scottishbktrust
We are the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland on behalf of everyone who lives, works or visits here. We enable people and organisations to work in and experience the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland by helping others to develop great ideas and bring them to life. We distribute funding provided by the Scottish Government and the National Lottery. For further information about Creative Scotland please visit www.creativescotland.com. Follow us @creativescots and www.facebook.com/CreativeScotland
Photo credit: Jonathan Ley
