This year's shortlist contains a varied mix of the best titles from 2016 releases and a special category featuring independent publishers. So would you like to see who we have for you this year? Then settle in for book heaven!
Baby & Toddler Books:
With the baby and toddler books this year we have a wonderful strong nature theme, some baking fun, caring and one very greedy goat. This selection of books is really bright and beautiful.
➸123 A Walk in the CountrysideRosalind Beardshaw
➸ Hoot's Twilight Adventure
Rowena Blyth
➸ Fingertrail Playbook
Fiona Watt & Stella Baggott
➸ Baking With Dad
Aurora Cacciapuoti
➸ The Greedy Goat
Peter Horacek
➸ Kiss it Better
Smriti Prasadam-Halls & Sarah Massini.
Picture Books:
We teach you how to survive bear spotting this year in the picture books, along with a bear who likes his own adventures and one book nibbling monster who we perhaps won't be inviting into the libraries to eat our books!! We also have some crazy clothing, with bright pants, odd socks and a stripy scarf I think we'd all love to wrap up in! The shortlist this year veers from the ridiculously funny to the ridiculously adorable.
➸ Odd Dog Out
Rob Biddulph
➸ Otto the Book Bear in the Snow
Katie Cleminson
➸ Prince of Pants
Alan MacDonald & Sarah McIntyre
➸ A Beginner's Guide to Bear Spotting
Michelle Robinson & David Roberts
➸ Odd Socks
Michelle Robinson & Rebecca Ashdown
➸ Nibbles the Book Monster
Emma Yarlett
Emerging Reads & Shorter Reads:
The emerging reads and shorter novels this year really show off the increase in fantastic illustrated fiction for children. We have a silly mix of pirates, pigeons and pumpkins and some fantasy action with funfair fun, time travel and a beetle loving boy!
➸ Dave Pigeon
Swapna Haddow & Sheena Dempsey
➸ The Pumpkin Project
Katie Smith
➸ Pocket Pirates The Great Drain Escape
Chris Mould
➸ The Many Worlds of Albie Bright
Christopher Edge
➸ Jinks & O'Hare Funfair Repair
Philip Reeve & Sarah McIntyre
➸ Beetle Boy
M. G. Leonard
Longer Novels & Young Adult:
The longer novels and young adult titles are varied also this year with some fantasy adventures and some true life novels that hit home a little harder. All fantastic and compelling reads for older children and teens.
➸ Moth Girls
Anne Cassidy
➸ The Girl of Ink & Stars
Kiran Millwood Hargreave
➸ Time Travelling with a Hamster
Ross Welford
➸ The Art of Not Breathing
Sarah Alexander
➸ The Trap
Alan Gibbons
➸ Orangeboy
Patrice Lawrence
Special Category - Independent Publishers for Younger Children:
Our special category this year celebrates the best releases from independent publishers. The New LiBEARian celebrates libraries in a gorgeously fun and sweet way which can't fail to make you smile. The Tigon and the Liger is a beautiful diverse book about learning to love yourself and embracing differences. The Bean Machine is about the consequences of eating nothing but baked beans (yes you can imagine), it includes machinery, mayhem and some very clever recycling!
All wonderful engaging reads for young children.
➸ The New LiBEARian
Alison Donald & Alex Willmore
➸ The Tigon and the Liger
Keilly Swift & Cosei Kawa
➸ The Bean Machine
Adam Bestwick
So there you have it, our 2017 shortlisted titles in all their glory. The votes from children throughout schools and libraries are in and being counted and the winner will be kept top secret until the awards ceremony on 10th November, so watch this space until then when we will be revealing the category and overall winner!
Blog post written by Alexis Filby (Library and Information Assistant).
