Dentist and teacher triumph at Kelpies Prize

A dentist and teacher have won the 2019 Kelpies Prize and Kelpies Illustration Prize following a record number of entries. 

Both winners will each receive a year of mentoring with Edinburgh-based publisher Floris Books, along with a publishing deal and £1,000 cash.

Edinburgh-based publisher Floris Books announced the winners at a joint award ceremony at Edinburgh International Book Festival last night (Thursday 15th August). 

In a departure from previous years, Floris Books relaunched the prizes in 2018 with a new focus on developing and nurturing talent in Scotland. Instead of submitting a finished piece of work, entrants were asked to provide a selection of writing samples or illustrations suitable for a children’s book.

The Kelpies Prize was first awarded in 2005 with support from the Scottish Arts Council, now Creative Scotland, and seeks to encourage and reward Scottish writing for children. Previous winners include Scottish Children’s Book Award winners Janis Mackay and Alex McCall.

Christopher Mackie, a dentist from Edinburgh, won the Kelpies Prize with his "insightful characterisation and skilful writing" for older readers. 

Judges said: "His idea for a teen novel about a fifteen-year-old boy dealing with schizophrenia stood out for the judges, who noted Christopher’s engaging and powerful narrative voice, as well as praising the sensitivity with which he tackled difficult subject matter."

The Kelpies Illustration Prize was launched in 2014 as the Kelpies Design & Illustration Prize, with the aim of discovering new Scottish talent in cover design. Kelpies Illustration Prize entrants have gone on to work with Floris Books on projects including A Secret Diary of the First World War (Darren Gate, 2016 winner) and The Treasure of the Loch Ness Monster (Nataša Ilinčić, 2017 shortlist).

Aimee Ferrier, a teacher and illustrator also based in Edinburgh, beat the competition to take home the Kelpies Illustration Prize thanks to a series of illustrations based on the Scottish legend of the Otter King. The judges said they were impressed by the way Ferrier captured the atmosphere of the Scottish Highlands in her work, as well as the variety of compositions and viewpoints she used.