Double gongs for S&S and PRH at Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Awards

Simon & Schuster (S&S) Children’s and Penguin Random House Children’s picked up two prizes each at this year’s Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Awards, whilst Judith Kerr won a special prize for The Tiger Who Came to Tea (HarperCollins Children's Books).

S&S’s picture book duo Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet won the baby and toddler prize with Norman’s New Shell and another S&S team, Steven Butler and Steven Lenton, picked up the 5+ fiction prize for their novel The Nothing to See Here Hotel.

Ladybird, a division of Penguin Random House, was given the ‘favourite characters’ prize for Peppa’s Magical Unicorn, and PRH author/illustrator Michael Whaite won the picture book award with 100 Dogs. Whaite was also given the overall Sainsbury’s Children’s Book of the Year gong.

In addition, The Book of Comparisons from Clive Gifford and Paul Boston (Ivy Kids) won the learning and development category and Judith Kerr was named as the winner of the Sainsbury’s Children’s Classic Award for The Tiger Who Came to Tea, which is this year celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Each winner received prizes of £1,000 and Whaite and Kerr were given special trophies.

Emma Brewster, senior buyer for books at Sainsbury’s, said: “We’re thrilled to be able support the very best in children’s publishing at our 5th annual Children’s Book Awards. The magical, diverse and exciting world of children’s publishing is reflected in the ultimate winners this year. We are confident children will love reading this year’s amazing collection of winning books.”

The Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Awards are now in their fifth year and second year of the partnership with Book Trust. The winners and shortlisted titles, along with the two Tom Percival titles, Perfectly Norman and Ruby Worry which feature on the awards logo, are now available to buy in 476 Sainsbury’s stores nationwide.