A Child of Books wins Bologna Ragazzi Award for fiction

Walker Books' A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston has won the fiction category in the Bologna Ragazzi Award 2017.

The award is one of the most prestigious global prizes in the world of children’s publishing and recognises publishing excellence in graphic layout, format innovation and ability to capture a young reader's attention.

The winners will be presented with their award at a ceremony during the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in April.

Jeffers said: “I was extremely pleasantly surprised today to hear that A Child of Books has won the prestigious Bologna Ragazzi Award for Fiction. Sam and I are honoured and thrilled.”

Artist Sam Winston, who specialises in typography, said: “Amazed and very humbled that A Child of Books has been awarded the Bologna Ragazzi Award. So many thanks for even considering the book and totally amazing they chose it out of so many great books. Very humbled.”

The title is already published or contracted to publish in 17 foreign editions around the world, and the award is likely to bring the book to the attention of many more because of the recognition it will receive at Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

The jury for the award was comprised of Julia Eccleshare, Marwa Obaid Rashid Al Aqroubi, Paula Jarrin, Guido Scarabottolo and Tomáš Klepoch.