Branford Boase Award

The Branford Boase Award is a British literary award presented annually to an outstanding children's or young-adult novel by a first-time writer; "the most promising book for seven year-olds and upwards by a first time novelist." The award is shared by both the author and their editor, which ''The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature'' noted is unusual for literary awards.

History

Wendy Boase, Editorial Director of Walker Books, and Henrietta Branford worked together to produce a great number of books. Both Boase and Branford died in 1999 of cancer. The Branford Boase Award was created to celebrate and commemorate their names and memories and to encourage new talent in writing, which they worked for. The awards were a joint idea by Julia Eccleshare and Anne Marley who both had jobs to do with books. The Branford Boase Award runs alongside the Henrietta Branford Writing Competition for young writers (under 19).

Winners receive a hand-crafted box with the Branford Boase Award logo and a cheque for £1,000. The prize and the official website are currently sponsored by the best-selling children's writer Jacqueline Wilson. The award is given to both the author and their editor, "in recognition of the editor’s role in bringing a debut author to market."

Reception

''The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature'' has written that the award's "success in talent-spotting has been impressive, consistently recognising debut works by writers who subsequently go on to achieve great things—among them Marcus Sedgwick, Mal Peet, Meg Rosoff, B. R. Collins, Frances Hardinge, Sally Prue, Kevin Brooks and Siobhan Dowd."

In 2018 judges for the competition criticized the amount of family dramas nominated for the award, stating that it was formulaic and showed a lack of diversity. Judge Philip Womack stated that at least third of the books fell into this category and that they all had a “very similar narrative: there’s an ill child at home, who notices something odd, and is probably imagining it, but not telling the reader. They’re all in the first person, all in the present tense, all of a type". ''The Bookseller'' commented on the shortlist submissions for 2022, noting that there was a wider variety of authors and that they were more ambitious, which they felt resulted in "freshly told stories which reflect the writers’ understanding of the needs of today’s readers and the certainty of authors and publishers that those readers want to read outside their own experiences." ''Publishing Perspectives'' praised the 2022 shortlist for including a strong selection of books that appeal to both boys and girls.

Winners

Shortlists

; 2000
* Dominic Barker – '' Sharp Stuff'' – Transworld
* Gus Clarke – '' Can We Keep It, Dad?'' – Andersen Press
* Richard Kidd – '' The Giant Goldfish Robbery'' – Transworld
* Paul May – '' Troublemakers'' – Transworld
* Stephen Pots – '' Hunting Gumnor'' – Egmont
* Louise Rennison – ''Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging'' – Piccadilly
* Katherine Roberts – ''Song Quest'' – Chicken House
;
;2001

* Nick Manns – '' Control Shift'' – Hodder
* William Nicholson – ''The Wind Singer'' – Egmont
* Hazel Riley – '' Thanis'' – OUP
* Marcus Sedgwick – '' Floodland'' – Orion
;
;2002

* Emma Barnes – '' Jessica Haggerthwaite: Witch Dispatcher'' – Bloomsbury
* Adele Minchin – '' The Beat Goes On'' – Women's Press
* Sally Prue – ''Cold Tom'' – OUP
* Bali Rai – '' (Un)arranged Marriage'' – Corgi
* Philip Reeve – ''Mortal Engines'' – Scholastic
;
;2003

* Julia Bell, ''Massive'' – Pan Macmillan
* Kevin Brooks – ''Martyn Pig'' – Chicken House
* Patricia Elliott – '' Ice Boy'' – Hodder
* Richard MacSween – '' The Firing'' – Andersen
* Livi Michael – '' Frank and the Black Hamster of Narkiz'' – Puffin
* Simon Mason – ''The Quigleys'' – David Fickling Books
* Nicky Singer – '' Feather Boy'' – HarperCollins
;
;2004

* Steve Augarde – ''The Various'' – David Fickling Books
* Graham Gardner – '' Inventing Elliott'' – Dolphin
* Julie Hearn – ''Follow Me Down'' – OUP
* L. S. Matthews – ''Fish'' – Hodder
* Mal Peet – '' Keeper'' – Walker
* Eleanor Updale – '' Montmorency'' – Scholastic
;
;2005

* Alison Allen-Gray – '' Unique'' – OUP
* Frank Cottrell Boyce – '' Millions'' – Macmillan
* Cathy Cassidy – '' Dizzy'' – Puffin Books
* John Dougherty – '' Zeus on the Loose'' – Random House
* Michelle Paver – ''Wolf Brother'' – Orion
* Meg Rosoff – ''How I Live Now'' – Puffin
* Leslie Wilson – '' Last Train from Kummersdorf'' – Faber
;
;2006

* Nicola Davies – ''Home'' – Walker
* Joshua Doder – '' A Dog Called Grk'' – Andersen Press
* Frances Hardinge – '' Fly By Night'' – Macmillan Children's Books
* Ann Kelley – '' The Burying Beetle'' – Luath Press
* Sarah Singleton – ''Century'' – Simon & Schuster
* Anthony McGowan – '' Hellbent'' – Doubleday
* Cat Weatherill – '' Barkbelly'' – Puffin
;
;2007

* Linda Buckley-Archer – '' Gideon the Cutpurse'' – Simon & Schuster
* Siobhan Dowd – ''A Swift Pure Cry – David Fickling Books
* Charlie Fletcher – '' Stoneheart'' – Hodder
* Ally Kennen – '' Beast'' – Scholastic
* Sian Pattenden – ''The Awful Tale of Agatha Bilke'' – Short Books
* Andy Stanton – '' You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum'' – Egmont
* Tabitha Suzuma – '' A Note of Madness'' – Random House
;
;2008

* Atinuke – '' Anna Hibiscus'' – Walker
* L. Brittney – '' Nathan Fox: Dangerous Times'' – Macmillan
* Sharon Dogar – ''Waves'' – Chicken House
* Jenny Downham – ''Before I Die'' – David Fickling Books
* Sarah Mussi – ''The Door of No Return'' – Hodder
* Jenny Valentine – ''Finding Violet Park'' – HarperCollins
;
;2009

* Jeremy de Quidt – '' The Toymaker'' – David Fickling Books
* B. R. Collins – ''The Traitor Game'' – Bloomsbury Publishing
* Sally Nicholls – '' Ways to Live Forever'' – Scholastic Press
* Patrick Ness – ''The Knife of Never Letting Go'' – Walker Books
* Katy Moran – ''Bloodline'' – Walker Books
* Marie-Louise Jensen – '' Between Two Seas'' – Oxford University Press
* Emily Diamand – '' Flood Child'' (originally published as ''Reavers' Ransom'') – Chicken House
;
;2010

* Sarwat Chadda – '' Devil's Kiss'' – Puffin
* Lucy Christopher – ''Stolen'' – Chicken House
* Damian Kelleher – '' Life, Interrupted'' – Piccadilly Press
* Anna Perera – '' Guantanamo Boy'' – Puffin
* Dan Tunstall – '' Big and Clever'' – Five Leaves
* Rachel Ward – ''Numbers'' – Chicken House
* Victor Watson – '' Paradise Barn'' – Catnip
;
;2011
* J P Buxton – ''I Am the Blade'' – edited by Beverley Birch, Hachette
* Keren David – '' When I Was Joe'' – edited by Maurice Lyon, Frances Lincoln
* Candy Gourlay – ''Tall Story'' – edited by Bella Pearson, David Fickling Books
* Gregory Hughes – '' Unhooking the Moon'' – edited by Roisin Heycock, Quercus
* Jason Wallace – '' Out of Shadows'' – edited by Charlie Sheppard, Andersen Press
* Pat Walsh – '' The Crowfield Curse'' – edited by Imogen Cooper, Chicken House
;
;2012

* Lindsey Barraclough – '' Long Lankin'' – edited by Annie Eaton and Natalie Doherty (Bodley Head)
* Phil Earle – '' Being Billy'' – edited by Shannon Park (Puffin)
* Lissa Evans – '' Small Change for Stuart'' – edited by Annie Eaton and Ruth Knowles (Bodley Head)
* Ali Lewis – '' Everybody Jam'' – edited by Charlie Sheppard (Andersen Press)
* Gill Lewis – ''Sky Hawk'' – edited by Liz Cross (OUP)
* Irfan Master – ''A Beautiful Lie'' – edited by Emma Matthewson (Bloomsbury)
* Annabel Pitcher – ''My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece'' – edited by Fiona Kennedy (Orion)
;
;2013

* S. D. Crockett – '' After the Snow'' – edited by Emma Young (Macmillan)
* Natasha Farrant – '' The Things We Did for Love'' – edited by Julia Heydon-Wells (Faber)
* Edward Hogan – ''Daylight Saving'' – edited by Mara Bergman (Walker)
* Wendy Meddour – '' A Hen in the Wardrobe'' – edited by Janetta Otter-Barry (Frances Lincoln)
* Andrew Prentice & Jonathan Weil – '' Black Arts'' – edited by Simon Mason (David Fickling)
* Dave Shelton – '' A Boy and a Bear in a Boat'' – edited by David Fickling (David Fickling)
* Lydia Syson – '' A World Between Us'' – edited by Sarah Odedina (Hot Key)

2014

* Natasha Carthew – '' Winter Damage'' – edited by Rebecca McNally (Bloomsbury)
* C.J. Flood – '' Infinite Sky'' – edited by Venetia Gosling (Simon & Schuster)
* Rob Lloyd Jones – '' Wild Boy'' – edited by Mara Bergman and Lucy Early (Walker)
* Julie Mayhew – ''Red Ink'' – edited by Emily Thomas (Hot Key)
* Ross Montgomery – '' Alex the Dog and the Unopenable Door'' – edited by Rebecca Lee and Susila Baybars (Faber)
* Fletcher Moss – '' The Poison Boy'' – edited by Imogen Cooper and Barry Cunningham (Chicken House)
* Holly Smale – ''Geek Girl'' – edited by Lizzy Clifford (HarperCollins)

2015

* Sara Crowe – '' Bone Jack'' – edited by Charlie Sheppard and Eloise Wilson (Andersen Press)
* Clare Furniss – ''The Year of the Rat'' – edited by Jane Griffiths (Simon and Schuster)
* Giancario Gemin – ''Cowgirl'' – edited by Kirstie Stansfield (Nosy Crow)
* Sally Green – ''Half Bad'' – edited by Ben Horslen (Puffin)
* Non Pratt – ''Trouble'' – edited by Annalie Grainger and Denise Johnstone-Burt (Walker Books)
* Rosie Rowell – ''Leopold Blue'' – edited by Katie Thomas (Hot Key Books)
* Rupert Wallis – ''The Dark Inside'' – edited by Jane Griffiths (Simon and Schuster)

2016

* Horatio Clare – ''Aubrey and the Terrible Yoot'' – edited by Penny Thomas (Firefly Press)
* David Hofmeyr – ''Stone Rider'' – edited by Ben Horslen and Tig Wallace (Penguin Random House)
* Will Mabbitt – ''The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones'' – edited by Ben Horslen, illustrations by Ross Collins (Penguin Random House)
* David Solomon – ''My Brother is a Superhero'' – edited by Kirsty Stansfield (Nosy Crow)
* Ross Welford – ''Time Travelling with a Hamster'' – edited by Nick Lake (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
* Lisa Williamson – ''The Art of Being Normal'' – edited by Bella Pearson (David Fickling Books)

2017

* Peter Bunzi – ''Cogheart'' – edited by Rebecca Hill (Usborne)
* Amber Lee Dodd – ''We Are Giants'' – edited by Niamh Mulvey, (Quercus)
* Sue Durrant – ''Little Bits of Sky'' – edited by Kirsty Stansfield (Nosy Crow)
* Stewart Foster – ''The Bubble Boy'' – edited by Rachel Mann (Simon and Schuster)
* Kiran Millwood Hargrave – ''The Girl of Ink and Stars'' – edited by Rachel Leyshon (Chicken House)
* M. G. Leonard – ''Beetle Boy'' – edited by Barry Cunningham and Rachel Leyshon (Chicken House)
* Martin Stewart – ''Riverkeep'' – edited by Shannon Cullen and Sharyn November (Penguin Random House)

2018

* Yaba Badoe – ''A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars'' – edited by Fiona Kennedy (Head of Zeus: Zephyr)
* Sharon Cohen – ''The Starman and Me'' – edited by Sarah Lambert (Quercus Children’s Books)
* Chloe Daykin – ''Fish Boy'' – edited by Leah Thaxton (Faber)
* Elys Dolan – ''Knighthood for Beginners'' – edited by Clare Whitston and Elv Moody (Oxford)
* Mitch Johnson – ''Kick'' – edited by Rebecca Hill and Becky Walker (Usborne)
* Tony Mitton – ''Potter's Boy'' – edited by Anthony Hinton (David Fickling Books)
* Jacob Sager Weinstein – ''The City of Secret Rivers'' – edited by Gill Evans (Walker Books)

2019

* Sophie Anderson – ''The House with Chicken Legs'' – edited by Rebecca Hill and Becky Walker (Usborne)
* P. G. Bell – ''The Train to Impossible Places'' – edited by Rebecca Hill and Becky Walker (Usborne)
* Mel Darbon – ''Rosie Loves Jack'' – edited by Sarah Stewart (Usborne)
* Rowena House – ''The Goose Road'' – edited by Mara Bergman (Walker Books)
* Matt Killeen – ''Orphan Monster Spy'' – edited by Sarah Stewart and Kendra Levin (Usbourne)
* Muhammad Khan – ''I Am Thunder'' – edited by Lucy Pearse (Macmillan)
* Onjali Q Raúf – ''The Boy at the Back of the Class'' – edited by Lena McCauley, (Orion)

2020

* Humza Arshad & Henry White – ''Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties'' – edited by Sharan Matharu and Holly Harris (Puffin Books)
* Katya Balen – ''The Space We're In'' – edited by Lucy Mackay-Sim (Bloomsbury)
* Aisha Bushby – ''A Pocketful of Stars'' – edited by Liz Bankes and Sarah Levison (Egmont)
* Liz Hyder – ''Bearmouth'' – edited by Sara Odedina (Pushkin Press)
* Holly Jackson – ''A Good Girl's Guide to Murder'' – edited by Lindsey Heaven (Electric Monkey)
* Jamie Littler – ''Frostheart'' – edited by Naomi Colthurst (Puffin)
* Emma Smith-Barton – ''The Million Pieces of Neena Gill'' – edited by Naomi Colthurst (Penguin)

2021

* Kereen Getten – ''When Life Gives You Mangoes'' – edited by Sara Odedina (Pushkin)
* Finbar Hawkins – ''Witch'' – edited by Fiona Kennedy (Zephyr)
* Danielle Jawando – ''And the Stars Were Burning Brightly'' – edited by Jane Griffiths (Simon and Schuster)
* Elle McNicoll – '' A Kind of Spark'' – edited by Eishar Brar (Knights Of)
* Manjeet Mann – ''Run, Rebel'' – edited by Carmen McCullough (Penguin)
* Struan Murray – ''Orphans of the Tide'' – edited by Ben Horslen (Puffin)
* Jenny Pearson – ''The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates'' – edited by Rebecca Hill and Becky Walker (Usborne)

2022

* Natasha Bowen – ''Skin of the Sea'' – edited by Carmen McCullough and Tricia Lin (Penguin)
* Maisie Chan – ''Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths'' – edited by Georgia Murray (Piccadilly)
* Femi Fadugba – ''The Upper World'' – edited by Emma Jones, Stephanie Stein & Asmaa Isse (Penguin)
* Luke Palmer – ''Grow'' – edited by Penny Thomas (Firefly Press)
* Lesley Parr – ''The Valley of Lost Secrets'' – edited by Zoë Griffiths (Bloomsbury)
* Ros Roberts – ''Digger and Me'' – edited by Ella Whiddett and Ruth Bennett (Little Tiger)
* Helen Rutter – ''The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh'' – edited by Lauren Fortune (Scholastic)
* Nadia Shireen – ''Grimwood'' – edited by Ali Dougal (Simon and Schuster)

References

External links

* {{official website, branfordboaseaward.org.uk

Awards established in 2000
2000 establishments in England
British children's literary awards
First book awards