Inaugural Winnners of Roald Dahl Funny Prize

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The Witch’s Children Go to School by Ursula Jones, illus. Russell Ayto (Orchard Books)

In this third electrifying title, the witch's children's friend, Gemma, is scared about her first day at school. So, the Little One turns her into an ogre to give her courage . . . but ogres don't fit in at school. Never mind. The Little One has a solution - to turn the whle school into a storybook, which is a good place for an ogre. The trouble is, the witch's children are very good at doing spells but not so good at undoing them. . . who can help?

Review
Praise for The Witch's Children and the Queen: "... an exuberant fantasy... executed with wonderful humour and penmanship." -- The Sunday Times

Review
Praise for The Witch's Children and the Queen: ". . . an exuberant fantasy. . . executed with wonderful humour and penmanship." (The Sunday Times )

About the Author & Illustrator
Russel Ayto (right, was born in Chichester, Sussex and bought up in Oxfordshire. At school he loved both drawing and sciences and once thought about becoming a zoologist. He has worked in a medical laboratory and as as postman, but his favourite job is being an artist! The thing he loves best is the chance to be creative and use his imagination to make characters come to life. He has illustrated many picture books and been shortlisted for the Smarties Prize, the Mother Goose Award and the Blue Peter Book Awards.

Ursula Jones is the author of The Witch`s Children, and The Witch`s Children and the Queen, winner of the 2003 Smarties Prize; both titles are illustrated by Russell Ayto. Ursula trained as an actress, and lives in France and London.

Other Books by Ursula Jones | Other Books by Russell Ayto

Other Shortlisted

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Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear by Andy Stanton, illus. David Tazzyman (Egmont Press)

Review
"'Smooky palooki! This book is well brilliant! Andy Stanton (below)is far too clever and funny and should be locked away in a very dark place that nobody can find.' Jeremy Strong; 'A wickedly entertaining story' Bookseller; 'Andy Stanton accumulates silliness and jokes in an irresistible, laughter-inducing romp' The Sunday Times; 'Worryingly splendid' Guardian; 'A riotous read' Sunday Express; 'Designed to tickle young funny bones' Glasgow Herald; 'Cranks up children's storytelling conventions to hilarious extremes' Jewish Chronicle."

Product Description
Mr Gum returns in the fifth shamelessly hilarious book...Good evening. Do you like bears called Padlock? Course you do. Do you like hot-air balloons? Course you do. Do you like tall sailing ships with mad sea captains, and horrifying old villains and words like 'wab!', 'tungler' and 'kelp'? COURSE you do! Well, guess what, you lucky little nibbleheads? This book's got all of those things - and a lot more besides. It's a rollicker! It's a frolicker! It's a funtime sun-time yollicker! So what you waiting for? Get reading!

About the Author
Andy Stanton lives in North London. He studied English at Oxford but they kicked him out. He has been a stand-up comedian, a film script reader, a cartoonist, and an NHS lackey. He has many interests, but best of all he likes Radio 4, books and music (even jazz). One day he'd like to live in New York or Berlin because he's got fantasies of bohemia. His favourite expression is 'This is what it sounds like when doves cry' and his favourite word is 'whippersnapper'. His first book You're A Bad Man, Mr Gum! won the Red House Children's Book Award and the Blue Peter Award for Most Fun Book With Pictures.

David Tazzyman lives in South London with his girlfriend, Melanie, and their son, Stanley. He grew up in Leicester, studied illustration at Manchester Metropolitan University and then travelled around Asia for three years before moving to London in 1997. He likes football, cricket, biscuits, music and drawing. He dislikes celery.

Other books by Andy Stanton | Other books by David Tazzyman

Other Shortlisted

Other Shortlisted Titles Funniest Book for Children Aged Six and Under

Stick Man by Julia Donaldson, illus. Axel Scheffler (Alison Green Books)

Stick Man lives in the family tree With his Stick Lady Love and their stick children three." But it's dangerous being a Stick Man. A dog wants to play with him, a swan builds her nest with him. He even ends up on a fire! Join Stick Man on his troublesome journey back to the family tree.

Other books by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler | Julie Donaldsons website

Julia Donaldson grew up in a tall Victorian London house with her parents, grandmother, aunt, uncle, younger sister Mary and cat Geoffrey (who was really a prince in disguise. Mary and Julia would argue about which of us would marry him).

Mary and Julia were always creating imaginary characters and mimicking real ones, and Julia used to write shows and choreograph ballets for them. A wind-up gramophone wafted out Chopin waltzes.

Julia studied Drama and French at Bristol University, where she met Malcolm, a guitar-playing medic to whom she is now married.

Elephant Wellyphant by Nick Sharratt (Alison Green Books)

Pull the tabs and lift the flaps - who'll be your favourite elephant? The Fruit Jellyphant, or the Chocolate Caramelephant? Cinderellaphant - or the stinky rude Smelliphant?

Nick Sharratt was born in London in 1962 and trained in graphic design at St. Martin's School of Art. He takes his inspiration from the pop and graphic art of the 1960s, which he experienced as a child. He loves to use vibrant colours and bold patterns in his pictures, but, he says, "the most important element of my work is always the humour." He likes experimenting with different media and you'll find watercolour, liquid acrylics, charcoal, ink, animation cell paint and photographs in his work.

His work is split between illustrating for other writers, most notably Jacqueline Wilson, and producing his own picture books for a younger audience. Eating is one of Nick's favourite pastimes and food often crops up in his work.

He has won numerous awards including the 2001 Children's Book Award, the Stockport Schools Book Award for KS1, the Sheffield Children's Book Award and the Experian Award for Eat Your Peas, written by Kes Gray. He won the overall Sheffield Children's Book Award for A Cheese and Tomato Spider and the picture book category for the Time It Took Tom, co-written with Stephen Tucker, which also won best book in the Right Start Book Awards. Pants won the picture book category of the 2003 Children's Book Award and was shortlisted for the Greenaway Prize. Ketchup on Your Cornflakes? won the Under Fives non-fiction Book Prize in the SHE/WHSmith Award. Nick Sharatt's work has been exhibited in Britain, Italy, Japan and U.S.A.

Nick currently lives in Brighton.

Other Books by Nick Sharratt

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The Great Paper Caper by Oliver Jeffers (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

An exciting picture book, featuring brand new characters from highly-regarded, best-selling, multi-award-winning talent, Oliver Jeffers. When life in the forest begins to change; when trees mysteriously lose their branches, when whole tree trunks start to disappear, when homes are lost, the only course of action for the forest dwellers is to begin a full scale investigation. Alibis must be proved, clues must be sought but even so, blame is never far from anyone's thoughts. Who is the perpetrator of this heinous crime? Will justice be done?

Other books by Oliver Jeffers | Oliver Jeffers website

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There’s an Ouch in My Pouch! by Jeanne Willis, illus. Garry Parsons (Puffin Books)

A hilarious story about learning to stand (or bounce!) on your own two feet.

Willaby Wallaby is not happy. There's an ouch in the pouch and it's making him grouch! So off he hops to the Blue Billabong to find a new home. Mummy Wombat and Mummy Possum can't help, but the Billabong becomes scary when Willaby bumps into Ma Dingo. You and I know that a dingo has no pouch, but Ma Dingo is as cunning as a fox . . . run for your life, little Willaby, run! Willaby bounces back to his mum, but when he learns that the ouch is just his new little sister, he realises that maybe he doesn't need a pouch after all. He's a big boy now and likes being free to do bounces and hops! A truly entertaining story about toddler behaviour and the discovery of independence.

Other books by Jeanne Willis

Manfred the Baddie by John Fardell (Quercus Books)

Kidnapping inventors, stealing from art museums, conducting acts of piracy on the high seas. Will Manfred ever learn his lesson? He is even nasty to his own henchmen! John Fardell's inventive story and richly detailed artwork combine to make an exciting, hilarious book that children will want to read time and time again.

Review
Fardell is making a remarkable multi-pronged foray into the world of literature...a gloriously colourful adventure - Scotland on Sunday

About the Author
John Fardell is an author, illustrator and cartoonist. John's cartoon work has appeared in many publications, including the adult comic Viz, where his creations 'The Modern Parents' and 'The Critics' are two of the most popular and long-running strips. He lives in Edinburgh.

Other books by John Fardell

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The Funniest Book for Children Aged Seven to Fourteen

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Paddington Here and Now by Michael Bond, illus. RW Alley (HarperCollins Children’s Books).........................Other books by Michael Bond

Paddington -- the beloved, classic bear from Darkest Peru -- is back in this fantastically funny, long-awaited, brand new illustrated novel from master storyteller Michael Bond! 'I'm not a foreigner,' exclaimed Paddington hotly. 'I'm from Darkest Peru.' Paddington Bear always manages to find himself in tricky situations, sometimes extraordinary situations. Like the time he had a difficult encounter with a policeman or when he found himself in deep water with a newspaper reporter. But since arriving from his native Peru after an earthquake Paddington has always felt at home with the Brown family who found him on Paddington station. Then one day, a surprise visitor arrives at thirty-two Windsor Gardens. Is it time for Paddington to decide where 'home' really is? In 2008 Michael Bond's first novel featuring the adventures of Paddington Bear will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary. Paddington's amazing ability to get into and out of trouble is at the heart of the countless stories that have been loved the world over ever since.However, it is many years since a new novel has been published, and in celebration of this landmark, Michael Bond has written the funniest and the most moving Paddington novel ever.

Review
Praise for the Paddington series: 'I've always had great respect for Paddington! He is a British institution.' Stephen Fry 'Paddington has joined Pooh as one of the great bears of English children's literature.' The Teacher 'Michael Bond's accident-prone bear!has become one of the most enduring of children's characters.' The Bookseller

The Bookseller
'Michael Bond's accident-prone bear...has become one of the most enduring of children's characters.'

The Teacher
"Paddington has joined Pooh as one of the great bears of English children's literature"

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Stop in the Name of Pants! by Louise Rennison (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
Sound the Cosmic Horn for bestselling author Louise Rennison's ninth book of the confessions of crazy but loveable teenager Georgia Nicolson! Now that Georgia has finally won over gorgey Masimo, the Italian Stallion, her old friend and lip-nibbling partner Dave the Laugh has popped up again. Will Georgia go to Pizza-a-gogo land to visit dreamy Masimo? Or could her perfect boy be closer than she thinks. A Sex Kitty's life is never simple! More hilarious confessions from our fave teen drama queen, Georgia Nicolson.

Review
Praise for '!startled by his furry shorts!' 'It's an excellent book and I'm dying to know what happens next.' Sugar Praise for '!then he ate my boy entrancers.': "You'll be falling about laughing at this.' Mizz 'The only snag about taking this on holiday is that it won't last long: it will be consumed without a break except for the snorting noises. But it can always be passed on to parents by any youngster who can stand the sound of Vati's and Mutti's snorts, or dipped into repeatedly because every line is vair vair funny.' Sunday Times Praise for '!startled by his furry shorts.': 'It's an excellent book and I'm dying to know what happens next.' Sugar Praise for '!and that's when it fell off in my hand.': 'Readers will find themselves laughing uncontrollably until their sides hurt, and won't be able to put the book down.' Sunday Times 'Hilarious! [Louise Rennison] is queen of the pink-book pack.' The Times Praise for 'Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging': 'Bridget Jones for teenagers -- but funnier. Expect Potter-esque queues for the sequel.' Sunday Telegraph

Other books by Louise Rennison

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce (Macmillan Children’s Books)

Telegraph
'Hilarious and ingenious hymn to dadliness and all things dadly...' --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Liam is too big for his boots, his football strip, and his school blazer. But being super-sized height-wise has its advantages: he's the only eleven-year-old to ever ride the G-force defying Cosmic rollercoaster or be offered the chance to drive a Porsche. Long-legged Liam makes a giant leap for boy-kind by competing with a group of adults for the chance to go into space. Is Liam the best boy for the job? Sometimes being big isn't all about being a grown-up.

About the Author
Frank Cottrell Boyce, father of seven, is an award-winning children's author and screenwriter whose film credits include WELCOME TO SARAJEVO, HILARY AND JACKIE and 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE. He lives in Merseyside with his family.

Other books by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Aliens Don’t Eat Dog Food by Dinah Capparucci (Scholastic Children’s Books)

Three boys, two dogs and a whole lot of trouble| Jordan, Ryan and Boy Dave always get blamed for EVERYTHING. And OK, most of the time it is their fault - but this is one time it definitely wasn't| How could they have known that trying to save the world and being accidental reality TV stars would end in DISASTER?

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Urgum and the Goo Goo Bah! by Kjartan Poskitt, illus. Philip Reeve (Scholastic Children’s Books)

Other books by Kjartan Poskitt