News


A double win for Walker in the Independent Booksellers Week Book Award

 

 

We are absolutely thrilled that Walker have won both of the children’s awards in the IBW Book Awards! The winner for the Children’s Award is Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo and the winner for the Picture Book Award is A First Book of Nature by Nicola Davies and Mark Hearld.  A clean sweep for Walker! 

There were ten adult titles and twelve titles in each of the children’s categories on the shortlists, which were selected by independent booksellers from nominations put forward by publishers.

The winning titles were judged by two separate judging panels comprising authors, booksellers and journalists, and the judging panels were chaired by the BA’s Meryl Halls, Head of Membership Services.

Meryl Halls, Head of Membership Services, Booksellers Association, said: “The winning books were chosen after much debate around each of the very strong, and varied, shortlists. They are all perfect titles for independent booksellers to be enthusiastic about and hand sell. The judges have chosen fantastic winners, and we are delighted to be able to showcase these books during IBW.”

Kate DiCamillo, author of Flora & Ulysses, winner of the Children’s category, said: “Flora and Ulysses is a story about superpowers and poetry and friendship. And booksellers have consistently given all of those things to me. I am absolutely thrilled with this honour. I am (truthfully) a little bit undone. Thank you.” Kate DiCamillo is based in Minneapolis.

The inaugural Children’s Picture Book category award was given to Nicola Davies for A First Book of Nature, praised by the judges for its inspiring text, stunning illustration, superb design and quality production – a “perfect marriage of words and stunning illustrations.”

Nicola Davies, author, A First Book of Nature, winner of the Children’s Picture Book category, said: “I couldn’t be more delighted about this prize from the people who know the most about books. Indy bookshops are the future because they offer guidance through the sea of books we don’t want to read to the ones we DO, instead of just throwing us in without a float or a compass like the big sellers do.”

The judges specifically made a point about the wins, which is that the decision is testament to the quality of the publishing Walker is doing – producing beautiful, high quality books that suit independent bookshops and which bring the best in innovation, design and book production together with the best writing and illustration in the business to create very special books that booksellers are delighted to sell to customers.

Here Kate DiCamillo thanks independent booksellers for supporting Flora & Ulysses:

 

 

 



The news was announced this morning, Friday 27 June – and Independent Booksellers Week begins tomorrow. 

Nicola Davies will visit her local indie to receive her prize.

Independent Booksellers Week is part of the Books Are My Bag campaign, and seeks to celebrate independent bookshops in the UK and Ireland. We do this with events, celebrations, reading groups, storytelling, author signings, literary lunches and face painting! Your local bookshop will have their own way of celebrating, and we encourage you to visit to celebrate with them.

To find your local independent bookshop, check here

  • 27/06/2014