Sheffield Children's Book Award this year celebrates its 22nd anniversary.
It was the first regional Children's Book Awards and can count amongst it's winners JK Rowling (her first award), Jacqueline Wilson, Malorie Blackman, Anne Cassidy and Susan Gates.
Only Susan Gates and Nick Sharratt have lifted the coveted award twice.
How the Awards are organised
The award is split into three categories.
Picture Books (aimed at Y1-2), shorter novels (aimed at Y3-6) and longer novels (aimed at Y7-11).
A Little History
The Sheffield Children’s Book Award began in 1988. The project was first started to encourage children and young people to read and also to highlight the very best children’s books published each year.
In the first year just 6 local schools took part and this number has grown every year to a total of 152 schools in 2007.
The 'Field-Testing'
Each school chooses a book category for the class and they are given a start up pack of ideas along with a collection of books to read and review. Each child is asked to vote for their favourite book and these votes are then collated over the summer. Results are kept a closely guarded secret until the Award Ceremony in November.
Children involved in the project are invited to the Award Ceremony along with all Shortlisted Authors, Illustrators and representatives from the Publishing Houses.
The Awards Ceremony
Prizes are presented to category winners with the Overall Winner receiving a special trophy to keep for that year.
Children and young people can now get involved by borrowing the books from their local library and either fill in a voting form in the library.
The Event has grown each year and is now recognised as a major Children’s Book Award in the Literary world.
), community library award, best series and of course the baby book. Whilst winning one of the categories is brilliant, every author secretly wants to win the biggie. This year the hour went to Steve Smallman & Joelle Dreidemy for Smelly Peter - The Great Pea Eater.