2021 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize

The winners of the 2021 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize have been announced. The UK award gives an overall winner and has winners and shortlists for illustrated books, younger readers and older readers. I didn’t cover the shortlists for the awards either, so those are below the prize winners here. I will also note what books are available in the U.S.

OVERALL WINNER

Cover for A Kind of Spark

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll (released in U.S. in October 2021)

BEST ILLUSTRATED BOOK

Cover for The Grumpy Fairies

The Grumpy Fairies by Bethan Stevens (Available in U.S., released April 2021)

BEST BOOK FOR OLDER READERS

Wranglestone (2021 Reissue)

Wranglestone by Darren Charlton

ILLUSTRATED BOOKS SHORTLIST

Bear Shaped

Bear Shaped by Dawn Coulter-Cruttenden

Cover for The Blue Giant

The Blue Giant by Katie Cottle (Available in U.S.)

Found You

Found You by Devon Holzwarth

Cover for Freedom, We Sing

Freedom, We Sing by Amyra Leon Available in U.S.)

Cover for Where Happiness Begins

Where Happiness Begins by Eva Eland (Available in U.S.)

YOUNGER READERS’ SHORTLIST

The Shadow Moth (A Clock of Stars #1)

A Clock of Stars: The Shadow Moth by Francesca Gibbons, illustrated by Chris Riddell

Llama Out Loud!

Llama Out Loud! by Annabelle Sami

Orion Lost

Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm

Cover for The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates

The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie by Jenny Pearson (Available in U.S.)

Cover for When Life Gives You Mangos

When Life Gives You Mangoes by Kereen Getten (Available in U.S.)

OLDER READERS’ SHORTLIST

And The Stars Were Burning Brightly

And the Stars Were Burning Brightly by Danielle Jawando

Cover for The Black Flamingo

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta (Available in U.S.)

Cover for Boy, Everywhere

Boy, Everywhere by A. M. Dassau (Available in U.S., released April 2021)

Cover for Only Mostly Devastated

Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales (Available in U.S.)

Cover for Raybearer

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko (Available in U.S.)

News to Wake Your Brain Cells – July 2

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

15 LGBTQ graphic novels for middle graders – Book Riot

45 best middle-grade books under 250 pages – Reading Middle Grade

‘Cardboard Kingdom’ is about so much more than just cardboard – NPR

Censorship and curation in children’s books – The Irish Times

Children’s book imprint Heartdrum focuses on contemporary Native stories – Forbes

Children’s books roundup – the best new picture books and novels – The Guardian

Children’s house Lee & Low buys the bilingual Cinco Puntos Press – Publishing Perspectives

Kyle Lukoff’s speeches responding to the controversy over his easy reader series “Max and Friends” – SCBWI: The Blog

Raul the Third brings border culture to life in books for kids – Boston Globe

LIBRARIES

The Hot-Spot Library was born in two shipping containers in a Cape Town slum – NPR

Pride Month book displays at Lafayette public libraries concern board vice president – The Acadiana Advocate

San Diego City Library branches grapple with inequities – Governing

The value of the book cover: my favorite way to discover books in libraries – Book Riot

YA LIT

26 YA sci-fi fantasy books that are hitting shelves this summer – BuzzFeed

Netflix is taking a stab at R.L. Stine’s ‘Fear Street’ horror books for three new films – Daily News

The rise of BookTok: meet the teen influencers pushing books up the charts – The Guardian