Supported by Bookstart and the Unwin Foundation The Booktrust Early Years Awards aim to celebrate, publicise and reward the exciting range of books being published today for babies, toddlers and pre-school children and to promote and make these books accessible to as wide an audience as possible.

Categories of award:

• the best book for babies under one year old
• the best book for pre-school children, up to five years of age
• an award for the best emerging illustrator

Shortlisted books all exemplify the remarkable creativity in words, design and illustration necessary to encourage young children to read.

2008 Winners of Booktrust’s Early Years Awards

24th Sept- Wendy Cooling, the Chair of Judges, presented the winners or 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.

2008 Baby Book Award:

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

Can you find your nose, eyes, ears, mouth and chin? This vibrant book encourages little ones to associate words and pictures with their own bodies. Encourages little ones to associate words and pictures with their own bodies. This book has a fold-out mirror at the back of the book to help them discover their own faces as you read aloud together. Can you find your nose, eyes, ears... More

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

When two small sisters go fishing to the magic pond, they find something much better than a frog or a newt. They find a bog baby. Small and blue with wings like a dragon, the girls decide to make him their secret. I won't tell if you won't. But the bog baby is a wild thing, and when he becomes poorly, the girls decide they must tell their mum. And she tells them the greatest lesson, if you really love something, you have to let it go. More

2008 Best Emerging Illustrator: Tim Hopgood for Here Comes Frankie! (Macmillan Children’s Books)

Frankie is a quiet boy. He lives on a quiet street, with his quiet parents and his quiet dog and cat. But when Frankie decides to learn the trumpet, the most incredible things happen! Colours, shapes and smells appear and everything begins to change. It looks as though life for quiet Frankie will never be quite the same... More

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!”

2008 Shortlisted Books

Baby Book Award

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Baby’s Very First Book: Day illus. Angela Brooksbank (Campbell Books)
Baby Loves Peekaboo! by Dawn Sirett, designer Rachael Parfitt (Dorling Kindersley)
Daddy Hug by Tim Warnes, illus. Jane Chapman (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
Baby Touch: Playtime Book and DVD by Justine Smith, illus. Fiona Land (Ladybird)
Is This My Nose? llus. Georgie Birkett (Red Fox) Winner
Amazing Baby: Rainbow Fun! by Emily Hawkins, illus. Emma Dodd (Templar)

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Pre-School Award

It’s a George Thing! by David Bedford, illus. Russell Julian (Egmont Books)
Grizzly Dad by Joanna Harrison (David Fickling Books)
The Cow That Laid an Egg by Andy Cutbill, illus. Russell Ayto (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
Wendel’s Workshop by Chris Riddell (Macmillan Children’s Books)
The Bog Baby by Jeanne Willis, illus. Gwen Millward (Puffin Books) Winner
There’s An Ouch in My Pouch! by Jeanne Willis, illus. Garry Parsons (Puffin Books)

Best Emerging Illustrator

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That Yucky Love Thing by Michael Catchpool, illus. Victoria Ball (Gullane Children’s Books)
Here Comes Frankie! (by Tim Hopgood (Macmillan Children’s Books) Winner
Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero by Anne Cottringer, illus. Alex T. Smith (Scholastic Children’s Books)
Bridget Fidget by Joe Berger (Puffin Books)
The Bog Baby by Jeanne Willis, illus. Gwen Millward (Puffin Books)
Ape by Martin Jenkins, illus. Vicky White (Walker Books)

Previous Winners

2007 awards

Winners

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Baby Book Award
Tucking In! by Jess Stockham (Child’s Play)

A board book, containing flaps which babies can lift to find out how they are just like many different animals.

Pre-School Award
Penguin by Polly Dunbar (Walker)

Ben is delighted when he rips open his present and finds a penguin inside. "Hello, Penguin" says Ben. Penguin says nothing. Ben tickles Penguin; he pulls his funniest face; he puts on a happy hat, sings a silly song and does a dizzy dance. More

Best Emerging Illustrator
Emily Gravett for Monkey and Me (Macmillan Children’s Books)

Enables children to guess what animal they are pretending to be, before revealing the real creatures. A mischievous little girl and her toy monkey swing irresistibly through the pages of this playful book. Young children will love guessing what... More

2007 Shortlists

Baby Book Award

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Elmer’s First Counting Book by David McKee (Andersen Press)
Looking Good! by Jess Stockham (Child’s Play)
Tucking In! by Jess Stockham (Child’s Play) - Winner
Happy Baby by Dr Miriam Stoppard (Dorling Kindersley)
Baby Touch: Noisy Book by Justine Smith, illustrated by Fiona Land (Ladybird)
Baby Touch: Peekaboo Book by Justine Smith, illustrated by Fiona Land (Ladybird)

Pre-School Award

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Eliza and the Moonchild by Emma Chichester Clark (Andersen Press)
Grill Pan Eddy by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Tony Ross (Andersen Press)
Dexter Bexley and his Big Blue Beastie by Joel Stewart (Doubleday)
Oliver Who Would Not Sleep by Mara Bergman, illustrated by Nick Maland (Hodder Children’s Books)
That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown by Cressida Cowell, illustrated by Neal Layton (Orchard Books)
Penguin by Polly Dunbar (Walker)

Best Emerging Illustrator

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Viviane Schwarz for Timothy and the Strong Pyjamas (Alison Green Books)
Anna Wadham for The Ant and the Big Bad Bully Goat by Andrew Fusek Peters (Child’s Play)
Jason Chapman for Ted, Bo and Diz: The First Adventure (Little Tiger Press)
Emily Gravett forMonkey and Me (Macmillan Children’s Books)

2006 awards

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Winners

Baby Book Award
How Do You Feel? by Mandy Stanley (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

Pre-School Award
Mr Pusskins by Sam Lloyd (Orchard Books)

Best New Illustrator
Catherine Rayner for Augustus and his Smile (Little Tiger Press)

2005 awards

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Winners

Baby Book Award
Poppy Cat's Farm by Lara Jones (Campbell Books)

Pre School Award
The Very Dizzy Dinosaur by Jack Tickle (Little Tiger Press)

Best New Illustrator
Kanako Usui for The Fantastic Mr Wani (Little Tiger Press)