Klaus Flugge Prize longlist for 2022 honours independent presses
The longlist for the 2022 Klaus Flugge Prize has been revealed and is dominated by indie publishers.
Established in 2016, the prize is awarded to the most promising and exciting newcomer to children’s picture book illustration. The 24-strong longlist has now been revealed honouring illustrators as well as authors, editors and designers.
Mammoth from illustrator Adam Beer, written by Anna Kemp with editor Helen Mackenzie Smith and art director Jane Buckley (Simon & Schuster) was one of the few titles from the bigger publishers along with Two Hoots (an imprint of Pan Macmillan) earning a place through We Want Our Books by Jake Alexander with editor Helen Weir and designer Jo Spooner. Penguin Random House was recognised through its Little Tiger imprint with a nomination for Alisa Kosareva’s The Beasts Beneath our Feet, written by James Carter with editor Isabel Otter and designer Alice Luffman.
The Song for Everyone by Lucy Morris with editor Pari Thomson and art director Donna Mark (Bloomsbury Children’s Books) is also nominated, while Scholastic was recognised for If You Miss Me by Jocelyn Li Langrand from art director Patti Ann Harris and designer Doan Buu.
Pierre’s New Hair by Joseph Hollis, editor Emilia Will, designer Jade Wheaton, represented Tate Publishing. While James Jones’ The Perfect Fit, featuring editor Jen Long and designer Kate Adams, is flying the flag for Oxford University Press. Also longlisted is Drawn Across Borders from author George Butler, edited by Alice Primmer and Denise Johnstone-Burt and featuring art directors Nghiem Ta and Ben Norland (Walker Studio).
Smaller indies made up most of the longlist. Flying Eye Books got a double nod with Alley Cat Rally by Ricky Trickartt, editor Emily Ball and designer Ivanna Khomyak, and As Strong as the River from writer Sarah Noble, editor Emily Ball and designer Lilly Gottwald.
Child’s Play saw two of its titles nominated: Big Dance by Aoife Greenham, featuring art director Sue Baker, and Choices by Roozeboos with designer Sarah Dellow. Scallywag Press also scored two with No! Said Rabbit by Marjoke Henrichs from editor Alice Corrie and designer Ness Wood, along with The Tale of the Whale by Karen Swann, illustrated by Padmacandra, featuring editor Janice Thomson and designer Ness Wood.
Pavilion also scored two books in the longlist: Ten Silly Children by Jon Lander, editor Neil Dunicliffe and designer Sarah Crookes, as well as Oh Monty! from Nici Gregory, editor Martha Owen and designer Sarah Crookes.
Fellow illustrated books specialist Thames & Hudson was recognised for Ian Morris’ The Library Book, written by Gabby Dawnay, with editor Anna Ridley, art director Avni Patel and design director Johanna Neurath.
Russian books specialist Fontanka secured a nomination through Dovilé Čiapaité’s Kolobok: A Russian Bun on the Run with editor Mark Sutcliffe and designer Jacob Valvis.
Other indies dominated the rest of the longlist. Magnificent by Ria Dastidar, written by Laura Dockrill with editor Emily Ball and designer Lilly Gottwald (Pop Up Projects) was featured. Rescuing Titanic by Flora Delargy, editor Lucy Brownridge and art director Karissa Santos (Wide Eyed Editions) also made the list.
Owlet Press made an appearance with Sunflower Sisters by Michaela Dias-Hayes, written by Monika Singh Gangotra, supported by art director and designer Sam Langley-Swain.
Also nominated is Nature’s Toy Box by Harriet Hobday, editor Ali Halliday and art director Rachel Lawrence (Storyhouse Publishing), along with Many Shapes of Clay from Kenesha Sneed, editor Holly La Due and designer Anjali Pala (Prestel).
Completing the longlist is Nia Tudor’s The Queen on Our Corner, written by Lucy Christopher and featuring Holly Tonks as editor and art director (Lantana).
For the second consecutive year, more than 50 books were submitted from 34 different publishing houses, “proof of publishers’ commitment to commissioning and developing new illustrators,” organisers said.
The prize, which honours founder of publisher Andersen Press, Klaus Flugge, will reveal its shortlist on 18th May and the winner will be revealed in September.
Flavia Z Drago was named the 2021 winner with Gustavo the Shy Ghost (Walker Books), and returns this year as a judge alongside illustrator Emily Gravett. Joining them is Martin Salisbury, professor of Illustration at Cambridge School of Art at Anglia Ruskin University, and Nikki Bi, co-founder and the Beyond Books lead at Civic Square in Birmingham. The panel will be chaired by Julia Eccleshare, director of the children’s programme of the Hay Festival.
Eccleshare thanked Flugge for his ongoing support and said: “Providing their first experience of books and reading, picture books are vital to children’s development, opening up the world and providing all-important early encounters with art and story. It is always exhilarating therefore to consider the books submitted for the Klaus Flugge Prize and we are delighted to have received so many entries this year and to be celebrating these exciting, talented newcomers."
