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Best Books for Children and Teens: The Branford Boase Award 2010
08 July 2010
The Branford Boase Award 2010 is an annual literary award for new writers of books for children. Find Book has brought you the shortlisted titles to utilise with our price comparison services. The award was set up in 1999, following the deaths of gifted children's writer Henrietta Branford, and Wendy Boase, a children's book editor who encouraged new writers of fiction for children and young people.
The winner of the 2010 Branford Boase Literary Award will be announced on July 14th in London and will be selected from the following shortlist:
Paradise Barn by Victor Watson
A children's book set within the historical backdrop of World War 2. Annie, Molly and Adam are evacuees from London who are living in the peaceful Fens when a murder occurs. The three friends are determined to understand the mystery behind the abandoned body on the footpath. This is a story that is full of humour and excitement, as well as tackling some of the challenges of adolescence such as loyalty, friendship, truth and maturity. It is brilliantly written, with a riveting plot and exciting scenes that hook readers intensely and connects today's children to children of a prior generation.
Devils Kiss by Sarwat Chadda
The severe grandmaster of the Knights Templar, Billi SanGreal's father, has encouraged her into his secret world order, in order to be the first ever girl Templar Warrior to join their crusades.
Billi's life is a rigorous and brutal; an all encompassing round of weapons' practice, exorcising evil spirits and secret teachings. Enticed by the choice of an alternative life, and against her fathers will, Billi is tempted away by an attractive boy. However there is a penalty and this arrives in the form of 'the tenth plague', which brings about the death of all first borns. How should Billi respond? A story supernatural fantasy for young adults of the gothic genre...
Life, Interrupted by Damian Kelleher
Teenagers Luke and Jessie's life turns chaotic when his mother, a nurse, collapses at the hospital. Luke's mum is diagnoses with terminal cancer, and Jessie has an accident. This is an unforgettable story of a family tragedy, taking place in the midst of typically real teenage lives, with lashings of honesty, poignancy and humour.
Numbers by Rachel Ward
Ever since her mother died, fifteen year old Jem has been harbouring a secret. She can't meet anyone without seeing a number in her head. The number represents the date of their death! Unable to avoid relationships indefinitely, she dares to have a date with Spider. However when queuing for the London Eye, she realises that all the people in the queue share an alarming feature. An addictive, paranormal story, enjoyable for both teenagers and adults!
Stolen by Lucy Christopher
Sixteen year old Gemma has tired of waiting for her flight with her parents and goes in search of refreshment in Bangkok airport, when she starts chatting to the gorgeous, charming and charismatic Ty. Unaware that Ty had planned to kidnap her in advance; Gemma is drugged and taken to the Australian outback. She develops a seemingly bizarre response to her captor known as 'Stockholm syndrome'. Ty is completely besotted with Gemma; has Gemma developed similar feelings for her captor? An utterly absorbing, plausible and mesmerising story that, once finished, is difficult to put out of your mind.
Guantanamo Boy by Anna Perera
Khalid is an ordinary fifteen year old boy tolerating a holiday with his family in Pakistan. Just beginning to show more interest in girls than in computer games, Khalid's adolescence goes on hold when he is abducted and sent to Guantanamo Bay. Terrorized and tortured, Khalid's previously innocent childhood end as he becomes a victim of the war on terror. Anna Perera has created a challenging, insightful and intelligent foray into the political, social and moral complexities of the escalating racial tensions of modern times.
Big and Clever by Dan Tunstall
Tom and Raks are the school 'chavs'. Bored and restless they get involved with a Ryan, who is on an ASBO, and gets them into the local football game. Excitement with life increases for the boys when the violence kicks off afterwards and suddenly they find they have increased their power and influence over others. 'Big and Clever' is a story which takes an unglamorous look at the issues of self esteem and relationships within the social worlds of young people and the context of football hooliganism.
The winner of the Branford Boase award will receive a cheque for £1000, and the author and editor will receive a hand crafted box inlaid with a silver logo motif. In collaboration, Julia Eccleshare (Children's book Editor – Guardian) and Anne Marley (Head of Children's, Youth and Schools Services – Hampshire Library and Information Services) have set up the award in order to honour the contribution Ms' Branford and Boase made to encourage the development and nurture of new literary talent.
Conjointly to this award is the Henrietta Branford Writing Competition which encourages writing talent of under 18 year olds. The competition is closed to entries for 2010. The winning entry will be able to join the party in London on July 14th and meet the authors, editors and other members of the literary community.
Previous winners of the Branford Boase Award are:
| 2009 | The Traitor Game | B R Collins (Bloomsbury) |
| 2008 | Before I Die | Jenny Downham (David Fickling books) |
| 2007 | A Swift Pure Cry | Siobhan Dowd (David Fickling books) |
| 2006 | Fly by Night | Frances Hardinge (Macmillan) |
| 2005 | How I Live Now | Meg Rosoff (Puffin) |
