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We are delighted to announce The Bisto Book of the Year Award 2009/10 Shortlist. This year's eagerly awaited list features ten books, which are now in the running for the most prestigious awards for children's books in Ireland.
Full details of each title below (list in alphabetical order by book title) The winners will be announced on Monday May 24th.
The Bisto Children’s Book of the Year Awards, in partnership with CBI are presented annually in recognition of excellence in writing and/or illustration of books for young people. The awards are administered by CBI, the national organisation for children’s books and sponsored by Bisto gravy. The awards are open to any children’s book by an author and/or illustrator born or resident in Ireland, written in Irish or English and published between 1st January and 31st December each year.
Speaking about the shortlist, Maire Uí Mhaicín Chair of the 2009-10 Judging Panel, said: “This year's shortlist provides challenging and entertaining reading material: the works included span across the ranges of fantasy, mystery, folklore and the gritty realities being endured by young people as they cope with life changes. The variety of books shortlisted will ensure satisfying reading material for readers of different ages, interests and reading levels.”
Sean Brett, Marketing Director, Premier Foods Ireland added: “We are delighted to sponsor these prestigious book awards for the 20th year. Since the initial launch of the ‘Bistos’ back in 1991, we have seen the awards go from strength to strength and with the introduction of the Children’s Choice Award this year we are giving voice to the children’s vote and will recognise their favourite. I wish all of the authors & illustrators the very best of luck!”
An Greasaí
Bróg agus na Síoga
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Author: Catríona Hastings,
Illustrator Andrew Hastings
Published by An tSnáthaid Mhór
This version of the Brothers Grimm tale, the Elves and the
Shoemaker, tracks the fortunes of the shoemaker as his business begins
to fail. When he has only sufficient leather for one pair of shoes left
in the shop, a pair of elves visit his workshop and the shoemaker’s
situation changes radically. A beautifully illustrated book where the
interconnectedness of the visual and the written text add an extra
dimension to the magical features of this well known story.
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Chalkline
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Author: Jane Mitchell
Published by Walker Books
Chalkline tells the tale of the capture of Rafiq by soldiers of
the Kashmir Freedom Fighters when they raid his village in search of new
recruits. They roughly draw a line in chalk on Rafiq's class-room wall
and declare that any boy whose height reaches the line will be taken to
fight. Chakline is a chilling account of the conditioning of a young boy
to accept violence as normal, to stone or be stoned and ultimately to
kill or be killed. This brutalisation of a young person is offset
beautifully by the family scenes: his mother's love, his sister's
affection and respect, his father's stoicism. A well-told,
well-researched and cleverly plotted tale that is an intense read.
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Colm and
the Lazarus Key
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Author: Kieran Mark Crowley
Published by Mercier Press
A spooky adventure tale that also deals with real life issues of
bullying and personal relationships. Colm is not looking forward to
spending a fortnight with his cousin, The Brute, but during the course
of their unexpected stay in a quiet old hotel, they both reveal more of
their true character as well as uncover details of an ancient tale. The
atmosphere that has been created by the author for the unfolding of the
story in this location is eerie, spooky and very enjoyable as the
characters race to uncover the mystery of the Lazarus Key.
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Gluaiseacht
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Author: Alan Titley
Published by An Gúm
Alan Titley's hero in this story is deprived of his family under
brutal circumstances and finds himself alone in the world. The story
recounts the bleak journeys the young boy makes through the desert, as
he copes with the harsh challenges of a sandstorm and even worse when
the possibility of a hopeful future is snatched away as soon as it
appears. Undaunted, he continues on, and finds a companion in the latter
half of his journey. The depth of this character is well explored and
shows his ability to think, to reflect, to act and to interact with the
other characters he meets. The story is well planned, the language is
rich and lyrical and provides the reader with a challenging and
thoughtful book.
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Lincoln
and His Boys
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Illustrator: PJ Lynch
Published by Walker Books
PJ Lynch's illustrations for this book are interwoven so
intricately with the spirit of the text that it would be hard to imagine
one without the other. Telling the story of US President Abraham
Lincoln, particularly his relationship with his sons, Lynch captures
both private and public scenes in exquisite detail. Lynch’s portraiture
of Lincoln and his era clearly reveals a significant commitment to
research, and his rich palette colours provide a visual feast for the
eye.
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Solace of
the Road
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Author: Siobhan Dowd
Published by David Fickling
Teenager Holly Hogan is a troubled young person. She struggles to
feel at home with her foster family, doubts their motives in caring for
her and bubbles with antagonism towards them. Her sole comfort is her
memories of her mother. A blonde wig, prompts her to adopt the assumed
identity of Solace, a super cool young woman who has no fears, and who
can behave with courage and recklessness. There follows a gritty account
of her journey across England towards what she hopes will be a better
future in Ireland and an internal journey through her residual memory as
she gradually uncovers events in her past that have brought her to this
stage in her life. A finely constructed novel, beautifully written by a
master storyteller.
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The
Eyeball Collector
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Author: F.E Higgins
Published by Macmillan
Hector Fitzbaudy has never wanted for anything in his life. He
lives in a fine house with his wealthy father on the good side of Urbs
Umidia, but occasionally longs to see how the less fortunate citizens of
the south side of the river live. Consumed by revenge he embarks on a
pursuit of the villain responsible for his father's ruin. Hector's quest
for revenge brings him to Withypitts Hall where the bizarre Eyeball
Collector is in residence, rendering service to the very strange Lady
Mandible. This is a book that is full of mysterious deeds, twists and
turns of fate, and Hector's letters to Polly allow the reader to get to
know the narrator of the story and to sympathise with his dilemmas.
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The Gates
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Author: John Connolly
Published by Hodder & Stoughton
Connolly weaves a story about a rather singular schoolboy, Samuel
Johnson, and his dog Boswell. Just before Halloween, Samuel finds
himself to be an inadvertent witness to the opening of a portal
connecting our world and the underworld, brought about by a bizarre
series of events involving neighbourhood devil worshippers and a
malfunction of the Large Hadron Collider. The gates of Hell are about to
creak open, putting Earth at extreme danger and Samuel now has to work
very hard to convince the responsible adults in his life of the imminent
catastrophe that awaits them. Simultaneously he has to cope with the
interference of a wide variety of demons and monsters that have been
sent to frustrate him. Connolly's highly imaginative descriptions and
fast paced plot are full of drama, humour and fright.
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The Third
Pig Detective Agency
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Author: Bob Burke
Published by Harper Collins
This is the story of Harry Pig, one of the three famous little
pigs who built houses during our childhood. He is now grown up and ekes
out a precarious existence as a private detective. In this story he has
been hired by Mr. Aladdin to recover his famous lamp, now mysteriously
missing from its place of safety. This is a cleverly written book that
will appeal to both the adult and the young reader. It is an excellent
pastiche of detective fiction, and its use of a large cast of fairy-tale
characters lends it a witty and quirky style. The plot is complex but
convinces the reader with its authenticity. A vibrant, lively and funny
book.
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There
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Author and Illustrator: Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
Published by Roaring Brook Press
This alluring book is one that will draw every reader, child and
adult, into its charming spell. The little girl who starts out on her
voyage reveals the wonders she encounters but has a constant question
about her destination and the length of her journey. She experiences the
wonders of urban and rural life, the ferocity of the weather, the
beauty of the colours of the rainbow. Her persistent self-questioning is
a true and honest echo of the voice of a child as she comes to terms
with what she knows and what she doesn't. The harmonic interdependence
of images and text is achieved with artistic brilliance and a
disciplined pared-back writing style.
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