Each year CBI assembles a panel with a wide range of expertise to select the winners of the Children’s Book of the Year Awards. The panel meet regularly to read, review and debate all the titles submitted. You can read about this year’s judges below. CBI would like to sincerely thank all our current and former judges for their dedication to the awards.

 

Chairperson

Dr Pádraic Whyte

Dr Pádraic Whyte is Assistant Professor of English and co-director of the Masters programme in Children’s Literature at the School of English, Trinity College Dublin. He is author of ‘Irish Childhoods: Children’s Fiction and Irish History’ (2011) and is currently co-editing a volume on ‘New York City and Children’s Literature’ (2013). He is also curator of the Telling Tall and Tiny Tales programme at The Ark.

 

Judges

Dr. Christine O’Neill

Christine O’Neill is a researcher, editor and translator who programmes for children and young teenagers at the Irish Museum of Modern Art. She has just translated two fairy tales by the Grimm brothers for apps, and her interview with illustrator and author Jutta Bauer for Inis Magazine is forthcoming. She previously worked for the Arts Council (Theatre and Circus). After an M.Phil. in Anglo-Irish Literature at TCD, she completed a Ph.D. in her native Zurich and taught at St. Patrick’s Training College and All Hallows College in Dublin. She has published widely on James Joyce including Joycean Murmoirs: Fritz Senn on James Joyce (Lilliput Press). A trustee of the International James Joyce Foundation, she regularly teaches at the Dublin James Joyce Summer School.

 

Sine Quinn

Síne Quinn is an editor and literary project manager. She has worked in the publishing industry for over sixteen years in Ireland and the US. Having just completed a MPhil, she is now a PhD student in Children’s Literature at Trinity College Dublin. She is a former board member of Children’s Books Ireland, a section editor for BookFest magazine and a regular reviewer for Inis magazine. She has a particular interest in young adult fiction

 

Seán Ó Dubhchon

Seán Ó Dubhchon is a primary school teacher, having recently graduated from St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra. He is also an award-winning writer specialising in poetry, journalism, short stories and music composition, whilst also having a background in art and design. Seán is a member of Cumann Scríobhneoirí Úra as Gaeilge (the Irish Language New Writers Association) and has a keen interest in children’s literature and its use in the primary classroom.

 

Ruaidhrí Ó Báille

Ruaidhrí Ó Báille teaches Irish and English in Cabinteely Community School.  He has an abiding interest  in making Irish language and literature accessible to audiences of all ages. Recipient of several Oireachtas literary awards, his published works include Dúnmharú ar an Dart, Ailililiú Bop Siúáidí, Imithe , An Tobar and the  Junior/Leaving Certificate series  An dTuigeann Tú?  ,  Scaoil Amach É!  and  Is Breá Liom an Dán Seo!

 

Gráinne Clear

Gráinne Clear is a recent graduate of the M.Phil in Children’s Literature from Trinity College Dublin. For the past twelve months, she has been broadcasting a children’s book review programme on RTE Junior Radio called ‘Little Pages’, which includes child reviews, author interviews and children’s book events. She is a committee member of the Irish branch of the International Board on Books for Young People (iBbY) and is passionate about advocating great children’s books. Her area of special interest is work for younger children – picture books, poetry and novels.

 

Kim Harte

Kim Harte is a children’s literature enthusiast, and recipient of the Cathal Elliot Young Bookseller of the Year Award. She is a member of the board of directors of Children’s Books Ireland, and reviewer of children’s books for IrelandAM. She blogs about children’s literature at www.kimharte.org.

 

Ciara Ní Bhroin

Ciara Ní Bhroin is a lecturer in English literature in the Marino Institute of Education and co-ordinator of its creative writing and Writer in Residence programmes. She is a founder member and former president of The Irish Society for the Study of Children’s Literature (ISSCL) and has served on its executive committee and on the executive committee of IBBY Ireland for many years. She has published a number of articles and book chapters on children’s literature and recently co-edited a collection of essays entitled What Do We Tell the Children? Critical Essays on Children’s Literature.

 

Daragh Ó Tuama

Daragh Ó Tuama is manager of one of the few Irish language bookshops in the country, An Siopa Leabhar, which stocks a huge amount of titles as Gaeilge for children. Daragh has been working on and off in the book market for the last ten years.