Kildare students choose KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards winners

Students from eleven schools and libraries in Kildare participated in a national Junior Juries programme for this year’s KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards. The winners were announced at a ceremony in Dublin this week in partnership with International Literature Festival Dublin.

Through the KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards Junior Juries programme young people in schools, libraries and book clubs shadowed adult judges in reading, discussing and assessing the shortlisted books. The judging panel read a record 158 titles from Irish-born or Ireland-based writers and illustrators, the biggest year so far in the history of the awards.

Schools and libraries in Kildare that participated in the Junior Juries programme included:

• Celbridge Library, Celbridge      
• Kildare Libraries, Maynooth
• Leixlip Library, Leixlip                
• Naas Community National School
• Scoil Mhuire Senior School, Newbridge
• Scoil na Naomh Uilig, Newbridge
• Scoil Naomh Lorcáin, Athy
• Scoil Uí Riada, Kilcock
• St Anne's National School, Co Kildare
• St.Brigid’s Primary School, Kildare Town          
• Woodbine Books Limited, Kilcullen

Speaking at the ceremony, CEO of Children’s Books Ireland, Elaina Ryan said, “This year’s award winners showcase the outstanding quality and variety of contemporary Irish children’s literature. The fact that so many of the winners and shortlistees are débuts is remarkable – the Awards are an opportunity for us to celebrate both emerging and established creators and to connect them with their audiences.

“Through our Junior Juries programme, we have seen the joy and excitement these shortlisted books have sparked in over 12,700 young readers across Ireland. Today, in front of an audience of 600 excited readers, we’re proud to recognise the talent and hard work of these extraordinary writers and illustrators whose work will no doubt be such a formative part of so many young readers’ childhoods.”

Award-Winning Titles

• The KPMG Book of the Year Award – ‘Catfish Rolling’ by Clara Kumagai (Zephyr).
• The Honour Award for Fiction – ‘Treacle Town’ by Brian Conaghan (Andersen Press).
• The Honour Award for Illustration – ‘Three Tasks for a Dragon’ illustrated by PJ Lynch (Walker Books).
• The Eilís Dillon Award for best début children’s book– ‘Wider Than the Sea’ by Serena Molloy (Hodder Children’s Books).
• The Judges’ Special Award – ‘The Hare Shaped Hole,’ written by John Dougherty and illustrated by Thomas Docherty (Frances Lincoln Children's Books).
• The KPMG Junior Juries Award – ‘The Hare Shaped Hole,’ written by John Dougherty and illustrated by Thomas Docherty (Frances Lincoln Children's Books).

A total prize-fund of €16,000 has been awarded to this year’s winners.

Joint Head of Literature and Drama for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Damian Smyth said, “These awards pay tribute to some of the most fantastically talented writers and illustrators producing new work on the island of Ireland today. The stories they create cross lands and seas, to shape and ignite the minds and hearts of young audiences across the globe. We send our congratulations to all of this year’s worthy winners!”  

Maria Flannery, Partner KPMG Ireland said, “Well done to all our winners, and a special congratulations to our Reading Hero Alannah O’Donoghue who was nominated by her teacher, Clare Farrell. Alannah has displayed an unwavering determination and commitment to reading, and to learning through reading, whilst also finding magic in the turning of each page. She is a perfect example of what the Reading Hero Award is all about.”

The KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards and Junior Juries programme are supported by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland National Lottery Funding.