The Eleanor Farjeon Award is made for distinguished service to the world of British

children's books A child (plural, : children) is a human being between the stages of childbirth, birth and puberty, or between the Development of the human body, developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers ...

and is given to someone whose commitment and contribution is deemed to be outstanding. Founded in 1966, it is presented annually in memory of the celebrated author

Eleanor Farjeon Eleanor Farjeon (13 February 1881 – 5 June 1965) was an English author of children's stories and plays, poetry, biography, history and satire. Several of her works had illustrations by Edward Ardizzone. Some of her correspondence has also be ...

(1881–1965). The spirit of the award is to recognise the unsung heroes who contribute so much to every aspect of children's books. The award is administered by the

Children's Book Circle The Children's Book Circle (CBC) is a not-for-profit organisation, founded in 1962, that supports the British children's book industry. Members range from authors and publishers to librarians, designers, illustrators and booksellers. The CBC facili ...

and sponsored by the Eleanor Farjeon Trust.

Winners

* 1966,

Margery Fisher Margery Lilian Edith Fisher ( née Turner) 1913–1992 was a British literary critic and academic. She was internationally renowned for her influence in promoting the importance of good literature for children. This came about through her books, ...

* 1967, Jessica Jenkins * 1968,

Brian Alderson Brian Alderson (5 May 1950 – 23 April 1997) was a Scottish footballer. He predominantly played as a winger, but was also able to play as a striker. Alderson, who was born in Dundee, began his career with local youth side Lochee Harp ...

, author, compiler and editor * 1969,

Anne Wood Anne Wood, CBE (born 18 December 1937) is an English children's television producer, responsible for creating shows such as ''Teletubbies'' with Andrew Davenport. She is also the creator of ''Tots TV'' and ''Rosie and Jim''. She was a recipien ...

* 1970,

Kaye Webb Kathleen ("Kaye") Webb (26 January 1914 – 16 January 1996), was a British editor and publisher. She was a recipient of the Eleanor Farjeon Award. Early life and education Kathleen Webb was born in Chiswick, London, in 1914, the second of ...

* 1971, Margaret Meek * 1972, Janet Hill * 1973,

Eleanor Graham Eleanor Graham (9 January 1896, in Walthamstow, England – 8 March 1984, in London) was a book editor and children's book author. She worked for Muriel Paget's aid mission in Czechoslovakia before becoming an editor for publishers Heinemann an ...

* 1974,

Leila Berg Leila Berg (12 November 1917 – 17 April 2012) was an English children's author. She was also known as a journalist and a writer on education and children's rights. Berg was a recipient of the Eleanor Farjeon Award. Biography Berg was brought u ...

* 1975,

Naomi Lewis Naomi Lewis (3 September 1911 – 5 July 2009) was a British poet, essayist, literary critic, anthologist and reteller of stories for children. She is particularly noted for her translations of the Danish children's author, Hans Christian A ...

* 1976, Joyce Oldmeadow and Court Oldmeadow, booksellers and founders of Dromkeen Collection, Australia * 1977, Elaine Moss * 1978, Peter Kennerley * 1979,

Joy Whitby Joy Whitby (born 27 July 1930) is an English television producer and executive who has specialised in children's programmes during her career. Early life Whitby read History at St Anne's College, Oxford, and, after graduating, her first job wa ...

* 1980, Dorothy Butler * 1981, Margaret Marshall and Virginia Jensen * 1982,

Aidan Chambers Aidan Chambers (born 27 December 1934) is a British author of children's and young-adult novels. He won both the British Carnegie Medal and the American Printz Award for ''Postcards from No Man's Land'' (1999). For his "lasting contribution t ...

and Nancy Chambers * 1983, Jean Russell * 1984,

Shirley Hughes Winifred Shirley Hughes (16 July 1927 – 25 February 2022) was an English author and illustrator. She wrote more than fifty books, which have sold more than 11.5 million copies, and illustrated more than two hundred. As of 2007, she lived i ...

, author and illustrator * 1985, Bob Leeson, writer * 1986, Judith Elkin * 1987, Valerie Bierman * 1988, National Library for the Handicapped Child * 1989,

Anna Home Anna Margaret Home ( ; born 13 January 1938) is an English television producer and executive who worked for most of her career at the BBC. Early career After graduating from Oxford University, where she read Modern History at St Anne's Colleg ...

* 1990, Jill Bennett, illustrator * 1991, Patricia Crampton * 1992, Stephanie Nettell, Children's Book Editor of The Guardian 1978-92 * 1993, Susan Belgrave, MBE, Founder and President of Volunteer Reading Help * 1994,

Eileen Colwell Eileen Hilda Colwell (16 June 1904 – 17 September 2002) was a pioneer children’s librarian, "the doyenne of children's librarianship in Great Britain". Life Born at The Manse, Robin Hood’s Bay, Fylingdales, near Whitby in North Yorkshir ...

, MBE, librarian and author * 1995, Helen Paiba, author and bookseller * 1996,

Books for Keeps ''Books for Keeps'' is a British online magazine covering children's books.Michael Rosen Michael Wayne Rosen (born 7 May 1946) is a British children's author, poet, presenter, political columnist, broadcaster and activist who has written 140 books. He served as Children's Laureate from 2007 to 2009. Early life Michael Wayne Ros ...

, author * 1998, Gina Pollinger * 1999, Klaus Flugge, publisher,

Andersen Press Andersen Press is a British book publishing company. It was founded in 1976 by Klaus Flugge, and was named after Hans Christian Andersen "because it is easier to pronounce and spell than Flugge". Random House has a holding in the company and a s ...

* 2000,

Julia Eccleshare Julia Eccleshare MBE (born 1951) is a British journalist and writer on the subject of children's books. She has been Children's Books editor for ''The Guardian'' newspaper for more than ten years, at least from 2000. She is also an editorial con ...

, journalist * 2001, Amelia Edwards, art director * 2002,

Philip Pullman Sir Philip Nicholas Outram Pullman (born 19 October 1946) is an English writer. His books include the fantasy trilogy ''His Dark Materials'' and ''The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ'', a fictionalised biography of Jesus. In 2008, ''The ...

, author * 2003, Miriam Hodgson, editor * 2004,

Jacqueline Wilson Dame Jacqueline Wilson (née Aitken; born 17 December 1945) is an English novelist known for her popular children's literature. Her novels have been notable for featuring realistic topics such as adoption and divorce without alienating her lar ...

, author * 2005,

Malorie Blackman Malorie Blackman is a British writer who held the position of Children's Laureate from 2013 to 2015. She primarily writes literature and television drama for children and young adults. She has used science fiction to explore social and ethica ...

, author * 2006, Wendy Cooling, founder of Bookstart * 2007, Jane Nissen, publisher * 2008, Chris Brown, educator and editor,

School Library Association The School Library Association (SLA) is an independent organization in the United Kingdom which promotes libraries and literacy in schools. The SLA was founded in 1937 and is based at Kembrey Park in north-eastern Swindon. It is a charity registe ...

* 2009, Moira Arthur, former Managing Director of

Peters Bookselling Services Peters Bookselling Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of J S Peters & Son Ltd., a family run business operating in the children's book selling market, and is based in Birmingham, England. History J S Peters & Son Ltd. have been involved in l ...

* 2010,

Seven Stories Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children's Books is a museum and visitor centre dedicated to children's literature and based in the Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle upon Tyne, close to the city's regenerated Quayside. The renovated Victorian m ...

, the Centre for Children's Books * 2011, The Federation of Children's Book Groups * 2012,

Quentin Blake Sir Quentin Saxby Blake, (born 16 December 1932) is an English cartoonist, caricaturist, illustrator and children's writer. He has illustrated over 300 books, including 18 written by Roald Dahl, which are among his most popular works. For his ...

, illustrator and author * 2013,

David Almond David Almond (born 15 May 1951) is a British author who has written many novels for children and young adults from 1998, each one receiving critical acclaim. He is one of thirty children's writers, and one of three from the UK, to win the bienn ...

, author * 2014,

Polka Theatre Polka Theatre is a children’s theatre in Wimbledon, London Borough of Merton, for children aged 0– 13. The theatre contains two performance spaces - a 300-seat main auditorium and a 70-seat studio dedicated to early years performances. Polka ...

, children's theatre * 2015,

Terry Pratchett Sir Terence David John Pratchett (28 April 1948 – 12 March 2015) was an English humourist, satirist, and author of fantasy novels, especially comical works. He is best known for his ''Discworld'' series of 41 novels. Pratchett's first nov ...

, author, awarded posthumouslyChildren's Book Circle: The 2015 Eleanor Farjeon Award
/ref> * 2016,

John Agard John Agard FRSL (born 21 June 1949 in British Guiana) is an Afro-Guyanese playwright, poet and children's writer, now living in Britain. In 2012, he was selected for the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry.

, poet and playwright * 2017, Keats Community Library * 2018,

Michael Morpurgo Sir Michael Andrew Bridge Morpurgo (''né'' Bridge; 5 October 1943) is an English book author, poet, playwright, and librettist who is known best for children's novels such as ''War Horse'' (1982). His work is noted for its "magical storytellin ...

, author * 2019, CLPE, the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education

References

External links

{{Portal , Children's literature
Children's Book Circle: Eleanor Farjeon Award
1966 establishments in the United Kingdom Awards established in 1966 British children's literary awards Literary awards honoring lifetime achievement