Shortlist for Oscar’s Book Prize Announced

Oscar’s Book Prize is a literary award recognising excellence in children’s books for the under fives. The award is in its sixth year and was created in honour of Oscar Ashton, who passed away in 2012, aged three and a half from an undetected heart condition.

The award is supported by Amazon, and the National Literacy Trust and searches for the best children’s stories that Oscar would have loved. This year’s winner will be announced on 9th May but the shortlist for the 2019 prize has just been announced and we have that for you here.

The Way Home for Wolf by Rachel Bright and Jim Field (Orchard Books)

Judge Viveka Alvestrand says, “The illustrations of The Way Home for Wolf transport you right inside the book. You are standing there with the Northern Lights in front of you – it’s breathtaking. It conveys that wonder and awe of nature beautifully.”

The Way Home for Wolf

How to be a Lion by Ed Vere (Puffin Books)

Judge Lauren Child says, “Ed understands how to pace a story, tell it beautifully, and make an important point about being true to yourself and loyal to your friends. It does not preach nor resort to sentimentality but yet a very clear point is made about how it is possible to deal with those who wish to bully and intimidate.”

How to be a Lion

Ruby’s Worry by Tom Percival (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

Judge Brigitte Ricou-Bellan says, “It has beautiful illustrations and brings to life behaviours or ideas which are not easy to discuss. It’s clever and the most original in many ways.”

Ruby’s Worry

Almost Anything by Sophy Henn (Puffin)

Judge Sarah Brown says, “It reflects the concerns that little people have. So many children are reticent about having a go at things, or they give up if they aren’t good straight away. I couldn’t think of anything else like it.”

Almost Anything