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Awards and Accolades 2019
last updated 19 December 2019
Artwork: Fiona Woodcock
2019 has been a super busy and super successful year for our Bright artists and authors. We are thrilled with the wide range of awards and accolades they’ve won, celebrating the diverse and wonderful talent of our Bright family. Take a peek at these champs below!
Awards
AOI World Illustration Awards - Winner
Fiona Woodcock has received lots of recognition this year, with her book LOOK winning the Children’s Book Category at the AOI World Illustration Awards. LOOK was also shortlisted for the Academy of Book Cover Design 2019.
Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2019 - Illustrated Books Winner
We were thrilled that The Girls illustrated by Jenny Løvlie won the Illustrated Books category of Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2019.
Teach Early Years Award 2019 - Winner
Tony Neal’s brilliant The One-Stop Story Shop won the Teach Early Years Awards 2019.
Book Trust Storytime Prize - Shortlisted
The fab and funny Cake by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet was shortlisted for the Book Trust Storytime Prize.
The Kate Greenaway Medal 2020 - Nominated
We are so thrilled to have a Bright artist nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal - David Litchfield with War is Over.
CILIP Carnegie Medal 2020 - Nominated
There were five books on the CILIP Carnegie Medal nominations this year, sporting covers and illustrations by Bright Artists: George Ermos, Aaron Cushley, Becca Stadtlander and Samantha Woo.
Sainsbury’s Childrens Book Award 2019 - Shortlisted
The Sainsbury’s Childrens Book Award 2019 shortlist featured two Bright artists - Ben Mantle, who illustrated Boot, and Lindsey Sagar, who illustrated The You Are Awesome Journal.
Blue Peter Book Awards 2020 - Shortlisted
Books Vote for Effie, illustrated by Emma Trithart and Mirelle Ortega, and Wildspark illustrated by George Ermos were both shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards.
Waterstones Book of the Year - Shortlisted
The amazing Prisoners of Geography: Our World Explained in 12 Simple Maps was shortlisted for the Waterstones Book of the Year. The book was illustrated by Grace Easton and Jessica Smith.
Saltire Book Cover of the Year 2019 - Shortlisted
The gorgeous cover for Guardians of the Wild Unicorns illustrated by Samantha Woo was shortlisted for the prestigious Saltire Book Cover of the Year.
Children’s Books Ireland Book of the Year - Shortlisted
Beag Bídeach illustrated by Róisín Hahessy and Between Tick and Tock illustrated by Ashling Lindsay made the shortlist for the Children’s Books Ireland Book of the Year.
Northern Dawn Awards - Winner
Whale in a Fishbowl illustrated by Richard Jones won the Picture Book Category of the Northern Dawn Awards 2019.
Independent Bookshop Week 2019 Book Award - Shortlisted
The Train to Impossible Places illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino, and The Steam Whistle Theatre Company illustrated by Hannah Peck were both shortlisted in the Children’s Category of the Independant Bookshop Week 2019 Book Award.
Children’s Book Award & SCBWI Crystal Kite Award
Bright artist Steve Brown’s book The Wondrous Dinosaurium was shortlisted for two awards this year - the Children’s Book Award and the SCBWI Crystal Kite award.
Stanford Children’s Travel Book of the Year - Shortlisted
Three books illustrated by Bright artists were shortlisted for the 2020 Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards in the Children’s category. Fire Girl, Forest Boy illustrated by David Litchfield; Prisoners of Geography: Our World Explained in 12 Simple Maps illustrated by Grace Easton and Jessica Smith; and Together illustrated by Clover Robin.
SLA Information Book Awards - Winner
Dogs in Space illustrated by Iris Deppe won this year’s Under 7 Children’s Choice Award at the SLA Information Book Awards.
BAFTA Children’s Awards - Nominated
In a first for Bright, short film A Whale’s Tale was nominated for a Children’s BAFTA in the short form category. Izzy Burton did the Art and Animation Direction for the film.
Shrewsbury Bookfest Big Book Award - Shortlisted
Malamander illustrated by Bright artist George Ermos was shortlisted for the Shrewsbury Bookfest Big Book Award 2020.
New York Book Show - 2nd Place
Karl James Mountford was awarded 2nd place for the Hardcover Young Adult Fiction Cover at the New York Book Show for his cover of Smoke and Mirrors.
Premio Lettaratura Ragazzie 2019 - Winner
Che Bravo Cane!, illustrated by Grace Easton, won the Premio Lettaratura Ragazzie prize for children’s books published in Italy for 2019.
Lucca Comics and Games Festival Junior Competition - Winner
Cristina Trapanese took home the Best Digital Illustration in this year’s Lucca Comics and Games Junior Competition 2019.
Golden Pinwheel Awards - Finalist
Bright Artist Tania Rex was selected as a finalist for the prestigious Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition at the China Shanghai International Book Fair.
The Northern Illustration Prize 2019 - Shortlisted
Viola Wang was shortlisted for The Northern Illustration Prize with her illustration above.
Bestsellers
It was a great year for Bright books, with lots hitting the bestseller charts in the UK and the US.
Hop Little Bunnies illustrated by Laura Hughes
Hey Grandude! illustrated by Kathryn Durst
I, Cosmo illustrated by Ben Mantle
Malamander illustrated by George Ermos
Raise Your Hand illustrated by Marta Kissi
Supertato: Carnival Catastro-pea! by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet
The Land of Roar illustrated by Ben Mantle
Accolades
Book Trust’s Great Books Guide 2019
We were thrilled that several books illustrated by Bright artists made the Great Books Guide 2019: best new children’s books. These were Mummy’s Suitcase illustrated by Laura Hughes; Young Heroes with illustrations by Isabel Muñoz, Julianna Swanney and Federica Frenna; BOOT illustrated by Ben Mantle; The Lost Diary of Sami Star illustrated by Katie Kear; and Joy written by Yasmeen Ismail.
New York Public Library Best Books of 2019
A brilliant quartet of books made the NYPL Best Books of 2019 - Pay Attention Carter Jones illustrated by James Lancett; Brave Ballerina illustrated by Ebony Glenn; All in a Drop illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger; and The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog illustrated by Richard Jones.
The Reading Agency Books of 2019
This is Gus by Chris Chatterton, White Fox illustrated by Viola Wang and Mo, Lottie and the Junkers illustrated by Gareth Conway were all selected by The Reading Agency for their Books of 2019 list.
TOPPSTA 100 Most Popular Children’s Books of 2019
Take a deep breath for this one - there are LOADS of amazing Bright books featured on the TOPPSTA 100 Most Popular Children’s Books of 2019 list! Ten Minutes to Bed Little Mermaid illustrated by Chris Chatterton; The World Book Day Monster illustrated by Ada Grey; How to Be Extraordinary illustrated by Annabel Tempest; The Ladybird Big Book of Dead Things illustrated by Binny Talib; Paper Planes illustrated by Richard Jones; Max Einstein Rebels with a Cause illustrated by James Lancett; The Missing Bookshop illustrated by Kirsti Beautyman; Two Sides illustrated by Binny Talib; Dino Knights illustrated by George Ermos, Dog Diaries: Mission Impawsible illustrated by Richard Watson; I, Cosmo illustrated by Ben Mantle; Malamander illustrated by George Ermos, Ladybird Tales of Super Heroes illustrated by Fotini Tikkou; The Great Brain Robbery illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino.
Waterstones Paperbacks of the Year 2019
There are four fab books that made the Waterstones Paperbacks of the Year list; The Battle for Perfect illustrated by Karl James Mountford; Malamander illustrated by George Ermos; The Land of Roar and I, Cosmo illustrated by Ben Mantle.
Guardian Books of the Year 2019
Bloom illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino and The Good Thieves illustrated by Julia Iredale were shortlisted for the Guardian’s Books of the Year 2019.
Sunday Times Books of the Year 2019
We were thrilled that Bright author Carys Bexington’s debut picture book The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland was picked for the Sunday Times Books of the Year 2019.
Tygertale 100 Best Children’s Books of the 21st Century
Although we’re not far into this century, The Storm Whale by Benji Davies has been listed by Tygertale as one of the best children’s books of the 21st Century!
Young City Reads 2020
Malamander illustrated by George Ermos was picked for the Young City Reads 2020.
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The Snow Dragon accolades
It’s been a great year for The Snow Dragon illustrated by Fiona Woodcock - despite only being recently published, it made The Guardian’s Best Children’s Books of 2019, Mail Online Best Children’s Books of the Year and the Metro’s Best Books 2019 as well as being picked for the Toppsta Book Club and being chosen as the Independent Booksellers’ Children’s Book of the Month for November.