Tyger

S F Said’s Blakeian adventure, strikingly illustrated by Dave McKean, was nine years in the making, with publisher David Fickling Books determined not to rush the book to market until it was fully ready. This patience paid off: Tyger is the independent publisher’s second-bestselling fiction hardback ever and the title is now in its fifth reprint.

The publisher utilised the glowing reviews from early readers to build connections with key retailers, ensuring the book stood out in a crowded children’s market. One judge said: “This to me feels like a book I really want children to read and have access to.” The “synergy” between the text and illustrations was applauded, with our judges agreeing that Tyger already “felt like a classic”. A “stand-out”, they all concluded.