Winner of the Surrey Libraries Children’s Book Award announced

Illustrator Jess Mikhail celebrates winning the Children’s Book Award with Peter Milton, Head of Cultural Services at Surrey County Council. Click the image to download

Award winning author Joanna Nadin came out on top at this year’s Surrey Libraries’ Children’s Book Award with her brilliant book Penny Dreadful is a Magnet for Disaster. The award is for the best fiction paperback written for seven to nine year olds.

Over the past two months nearly 600 children across Surrey read and voted for their favourite book. Joanna’s illustrator Jess Mikhail collected the award on the author’s behalf in a ceremony at the University of Surrey in front of an audience made up of pupils from the six schools who helped vote for this year’s winner.

This year’s shortlist in full was: 

• Penny Dreadful is a Magnet for Disaster – Joanna Nadin
• The Wrong Pong – Steven Butler
• The Great Rabbit Rescue – Katie Davies
• Muncle Trogg – Janet Foxley
• Pillywiggins and the Tree Witch – Julie Jarman

Inspired by the works of the authors shortlisted for this year’s award, children were also encouraged to write short stories based on characters they read about in at least two of the shortlisted books. Jessica Shone, age seven, won with her creative piece called The adventures of Muncle Trogg and Pillywiggins, and she walked away with signed copies of all five shortlisted books. The runner-up was Finn Briggs, age eight, with his piece called Pong and the big Idea.

Helyn Clack, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services and the 2012 Games said: “The award is a great way to encourage children to enjoy books. Reading is an important skill and this award is just one of many schemes we run to encourage children to make the most of their local library.”

Joanna Nadin, author of Penny Dreadful is a Magnet for Disaster and winner of the Children’s Book Award said: “It’s very exciting for me. A really big thank you from me and from Penny for putting us on the shortlist in the first place.”

Further information:

The award is for the best fiction paperback written for seven to nine year olds, with children in Surrey deciding the winner.

The six schools who were in the audience were:

• Pyrford C of E Primary School.
• Whyteleafe Primary School.
• Epsom Primary School.
• St Peter’s C of E Primary School, Farnham.
• Barnsbury Primary School Woking.
• Warren Mead Junior School, Banstead.

For more information, visit www.surreycc.gov.uk/childrensbookaward, email libraries.cyp@surreycc.gov.uk or call 03456 009 009

Notes to editors:

Media requiring more information about the book awards, please contact Campaign Communications Assistant Will East on 0208 541 7739 or email william.east@surreycc.gov.uk.