Mayo students help choose KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards winners
Students from a number of schools in Mayo 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 in Mayo that participated in the Junior Juries programme included: Cross National School, Claremorris; Glencastle National School, Ballina; Holy Trinity National School, Westport; Kilmore Erris National School, Belmullet; Mulranny National School, Westport; Scoil Náisiúnta Gleann na Muaidhe, Ballina; St. Attracta's National School, Charlestown; St. Gerald's De La Salle College, Castlebar; and St. Brendan's National School, Westport.
Speaking at the ceremony, Elaina Ryan, CEO of Children’s Books Ireland, 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.”
The award-winning titles were: KPMG Book of the Year Award – Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagai (Zephyr); Honour Award for Fiction – Treacle Town by Brian Conaghan (Andersen Press); Honour Award for Illustration – Three Tasks for a Dragon, illustrated by P.J. Lynch (Walker Books); Eilís Dillon Award for best début children’s book – Wider Than the Sea by Serena Molloy (Hodder Children’s Books); Judges’ Special Award – The Hare Shaped Hole, written by John Dougherty and illustrated by Thomas Docherty (Frances Lincoln Children's Books); 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.
Maria Flannery, partner, KPMG Ireland, commented: “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.”