Dawson and Davies triumph at SLA Awards

Juno Dawson has been revealed as one of the winners of the School Library Association Information Book Awards.

The prizes, which were announced on Wednesday evening (22nd November) at Carmelite House in London, included two sections: the Information Book Awards, which were selected from a shortlist of 12 titles across three categories, and the Children's Choice winners, which were voted for by school children from the shortlisted titles.

Zoologist and author, Nicola Davies, won the Hachette Children’s Group (HCG) Award for Outstanding Contribution to Information Books, in a new category introduced this year. She also won the Under Seven Award for My First Book of Animals (Walker Books) illustrated by Petr Horacek.

Survivors of the Holocaust by Kath Shackleton (Franklin Watts) won the overall the Information Book Award after taking the Under Seven category. The overall Children’s Choice winner, voted for by schools, went to Dawson’s mental health manual Mind Your Head (Hot Key Books) with advice from Dr Olivia Hewitt, illustrated by Gemma Correll after scooping the Children's Choice seven to 12 category. The Great Fire of London (Wren & Rook) by Emma Adams and illustrated by James Weston Lewis won the award for the seven to 12 category, as well as the same age category in the Children's Choice Awards. Our Very Own Dog (Walker Books) by Amanda McCardie, and illustrated by Salavatore Rubbino, took the Under Seven category for the Children's Choice section.

The prizes were organised by HCG, also a sponsor, and the School Library Association (SLA) to support school libraries, reinforce the importance of non-fiction and highlight the high standard of resources available. The Award for Outstanding Contribution to Information Books considers a body of work from authors and illustrators who “offer consistent quality and a significant contribution to information books, working across a range of topics”.

Tricia Adams, director of the SLA said: “The winners represent the outstanding quality and high standard of information publishing on offer in a range of subjects – and we are delighted that so many publishers and authors and illustrators take part.”

Hilary Murray Hill, c.e.o of HCG, said: “We are committed to publishing the very best information books – be that the engaging books from Franklin Watts and Wayland that support the curriculum; or the brave, diverse and authentic voices on Wren & Rook – and it is vital, now more than ever, that we support this important community of authors, illustrators and school librarians to raise their profile and provide young people with the best information books we can.”