Local Bath illustrator Grahame Baker-Smith wins the 2011 CILIP Greenaway Medal for "FArTHER"

Great excitement amongst the staff and children at St Stephen's School in Bath this week when one of the dads, Grahame Baker-Smith, came into school to show everyone his 2011 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal.  He'd been awarded it for his picture book “FArTHER” on 23 June at a ceremony at BAFTA in London.  The Greenaway Medal is regarded as the UK's most prestigious children's illustration award.

"FArTHER" is a story about a father who dreams of flying, but when he goes off to war and doesn't return, his son decides to make his dream come true. 

The Chair of the judging panel said: “FArTHER is a beautifully conceived picture book with a dream-like quality that captures the imagination of readers of all ages. Its wealth of detail conveys both dark emotions: the storms of war and weather, and a powerful sense of loss and bereavement; but also a great sense of hope as vested in future generations”.

Grahame Baker-Smith has been working as an illustrator for the past 30 years. His work includes several books as well as an album cover for Robert Plant.  His book “Leon and the Place Between” was shortlisted for the 2010 CILIP Greenaway Medal.  Grahame’s clever use of photographs, collage and illustration make his style completely original and unique.  "FArTHER" is a picture book to treasure.

Patrick Ness wins the 2011 CILIP Carnegie Medal for "Monsters of Men"

The 2011 CILIP Carnegie Medal 2011 has been awarded to Patrick Ness for his novel, Monsters of Men, the third and final instalment in Ness's "Chaos Walking" trilogy which charts the epic power struggles between the inhabitants of a world where all thoughts are audible; and the relationship which develops between Todd and Viola, his young main characters.

Uniquely, the two other books in his trilogy, The Knife of Never Letting Go and The Ask and the Answer, were each shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal, in 2009 and 2010 respectively.

Ferelith Hordon, chair of the 2011 judging panel commented: "Monsters of Men is an extraordinary achievement.  Ness creates a complex other world, giving great scope to consider big questions about life, love and how we communicate, as well as the horrors of war, and the good and evil that mankind is capable of. It's an enthralling read that is well nigh impossible to put down."

Patrick Ness is an American who has lived in the UK since 1999.  The Knife of Never Letting Go was his first novel for young people and was written while he was teaching creative writing at Kellogg College, University of Oxford.  It won both the Guardian Award and the Booktrust Teenage Book Prize; The Ask and the Answer won the Costa Book Award.

The CILIP Carnegie Medal is the UK's oldest and most prestigious prize for children's writing. Patrick Ness joins a list of distinguished past winners that includes Neil Gaiman, Philip Pullman, Anne Fine, Terry Pratchett, Noel Streatfeild, CS Lewis and Arthur Ransome.  There is no cash prize.  Librarians across the country nominate titles to be considered for a shortlist of up to eight, from which the winner is then chosen.

The winners were announced at a ceremony at BAFTA, London on Thursday 23 June.

http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/2011awards/

CILIP Carnegie Children's Book Awards 2011: Short List

Prisoner of the Inquisition: Theresa Breslin
White Crow: Marcus Sedgwick
The Bride's Farewell: Meg Rosoff
Out of Shadows: Jason Wallace
Monsters of Men: Book 3 in the Chaos Walking Trilogy: Patrick Ness
The Death-defying Pepper Roux: Geraldine McCaughrean

Winners will be announced on 23 June 2011.

Carnegie Greenaway Awards 2011