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.
2009 Winners & Shortlist Booktrust Early Years Awards
Baby Book Award
Winner
Chick by Ed Vere (Puffin)- It's time for Chick to meet the world! He emerges from his egg and meets his mummy. Follow him through his very first day - right up until he snuggles down under his mum's wing at bedtime. It's time for Chick to meet the world! Join in the fun as... More
Other Shortlisted
The Big Night-Night Book by Georgie Birkett (Red Fox)- Helps babies delight in saying night-night as the Baby in the story gets ready for bed. With touch and feel textures on various pages to reinforce key stages of the bedtime routine, this title provides various pages that are packed with objects to... More
Baby Loves: Tiger by Claire Dowe (Scholastic)- Babies love to look at other babies - and most of all they love to peep at themselves in the mirror. With big flaps to lift on every spread, animal characters, colorful patterns and a fun mirror finale, this sturdy board book offers plenty of... More
Five Little Ducks by Francesca Stich & Jemima Lumley, illus. Jason Chapman (Simon & Schuster)- A delightful new edition of the well-loved rhyme, in split-page format and with bright, bold illustrations. Five little ducks went swimming one day, Over the hills and far away. Mamma Duck said, QUACK! QUACK! QUACK! But only four little ducks came... More
Baby’s Very First Outdoors Book by Stella Baggott (Usborne)- Contains beautifully designed images that are easy for babies to focus on. This title features words that are onomatopoeic, providing easy prompts for parents to make sounds for their babies to hear. It is useful for their speech development. More
That’s Not My Frog by Fiona Watt, illus. Rachel Wells (Usborne)- Helps very young children develop important language and sensory skills. This book combines bright, colorful illustrations with a variety of different textures to touch and feel on each page. This is a new title in the groundbreaking "That's not my.. More
Pre-School Award
Winner
Oliver Who Travelled Far and Wide by Mara Bergman, illus. Nick Maland (Hodder Children’s)- A third fantastic Oliver story from the award-winning author / illustrator team. Oliver Donnington Rimington-Sneep Tossed and turned and woke from his sleep. Though Bat and Owl and Fox were there Ted didn't seem to be anywhere. Poor Oliver has... More
Other Shortlisted
If I Were You by Richard Hamilton, illus. Babette Cole (Bloomsbury)- A witty and wonderful parent-child role reversal, with hilarious consequences When Dad puts Daisy to bed, he suggests, 'If I were you ...I'd go to sleep.' So cheeky Daisy starts thinking about what things would REALLY be like if she and Dad... More
Sylvia and Bird by Catherine Rayner (Little Tiger Press)-Sylvia is the only dragon in the whole world, and she is very lonely... until one day, she meets Bird. Tiny and chirpy, so different from the huge dragon, Bird somehow changes Sylvia's life for ever. More
Wow! Said the Owl by Tim Hopgood (Macmillan)-At night, when we are feeling tired and ready for bed, owls are just waking up. But this curious little owl decides to stay awake all day, instead of all night, and discovers a world bursting with colour. At night, when we are feeling tired and... More
| 
The Tail of the Whale by Ellie Patterson, illus. Christine Pym (Meadowside)-A picture book that takes you to a bright underwater world, with colour and full of surprises! More
Miaow Said the Cow by Emma Dodd (Templar Publishing)- More
Best Emerging Illustrator
Winner
Box of Tricks by Katie Cleminson (Jonathan Cape)- For her birthday, Eva is given a present - a box of tricks. She soon discovers that she is a master magician and for her first trick conjures up Monty, the polar bear. Then she produces rabbits from hats, and a magical party with delicious food. More
Other Shortlisted
The Grump by Sarah Garson (Andersen Press)- The Grump is very scary - he leaves a mess wherever he goes, gobbles up everything in sight, and has a deep, rumbling growl. But he may turn out to be not such a scary monster after all. The
Grump is very scary - he leaves a mess wherever he goes... More
Toot Toot Beep Beep by Emma Garcia (Boxer Books)-Toot Toot Beep Beep is a fun, bright book for young children. Colourful cars zoom across the page, each making their own special noise. Toot Toot Beep Beep is a fun, bright book for young children. Colourful cars zoom across the page... More
Small Mouse Big City by Simon Prescott (Little Tiger Press) - Country Mouse isgoing on an adventure! He's leaving his quiet countryside to stay with his friend in the Big City. The city is amazing! The city is magnificent! But when Country Mouse looks across the rooftops and sees the green hills of his... More
The Haunted House by Kazuno Kohara (Macmillan)- In a big old house at the edge of town there's a spooky surprise in store. But who's afraid of a few ghosts? Not this little girl. In a big old house at the edge of town there's a spooky surprise in store...But who's afraid of a few ghosts? More
Peas! by Andy Cullen, illus. Simon Rickerty (Puffin Books)- Picked, plucked and processed, and then transported all over the world on trucks, trains, boats and planes, Pete and Penelope Pea finally find a loving family to feed. But do the little girl and boy actually like peas? It's not easy being a pea!... More
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 whenFrankie 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
| 
| 
| 
| | 
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)
| 
| 
|
| |
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
|
| 
| 
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
|
| 
Baby Book Award
Tucking In! by Jess Stockham (Child’s Play)
Pre-School Award
Penguin by Polly Dunbar (Walker)
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
| 
| 
| | 
|
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
| 
| 
| 
| 
|
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
| 
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 for Monkey and Me (Macmillan Children’s Books)
2006 awards
| 
| 
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
| 
| 
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)
