YvonneThe IBW Books Of The Year Award, is a newly launched competition, as part of The Independent Booksellers Week.
The IBW itself, will be entering it’s fourth season in 2011 and more independent bookshops than ever, are expected to take part, with events taking place all around the country.
The IBW Book Of The Year Award for children’s books, is chosen from a shortlist of twelve books, selected by a judging panel of independent booksellers, from nominations put forward by publishers.
Participating bookshops showcase the short-listed titles in special promotions that run throughout Independent Booksellers Week, with voting taking place from May until the end of August. Winners are selected by independent bookshop customers who cast postcard or email votes for their favourite books.
The winning author receives a prize of National Book Tokens and a framed certificate, which is presented to them, at a prize giving ceremony, in their favourite independent bookshop, in the autumn.
The winner of IBW Book Of The Year Award For Children is:
‘Running Wild’ by Michael Morpurgo
When 10-year-old Will’s father dies in the Iraq war, his mother surprises him with a trip to Indonesia. But little could she have known what awaited them both there.
At first Will knows that something is wrong is when Oona, the elephant he is riding along the beach, begins to spook. Then, suddenly, she takes off into the jungle with Will on her back. And that’s when Will sees the wave come crashing in! With his mother almost certainly drowned, with nothing to cling on to but an elephant and nothing to help him but the clothes on his back, Will faces a terrifying future. But maybe the jungle and Oona the elephant, can help him!
An epic and heart-rending jungle adventure.
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Michael Morpurgo said the following of IBW and the bookshops involved:
‘To write a book well you have to love doing it, to be passionate about writing. To publish a book well you have to love doing it, to be passionate about editing it and designing it. To sell a book, you have to love everything about books, to know them and to be passionate about them.’
