Awards and Accolades 2020
last updated 18 December 2020
2020 has been a year full of bumps and surprises. Our Bright Artists and Authors have been hard at work this year and we are thrilled with the array of fantastic awards and accolades they’ve received in recognition. To celebrate the diverse range of talent in our Bright family, we’ve rounded up some of the highlights below.
Awards
Oscar’s Book Prize 2020 - Winner
Tad (HarperCollins Children’s Books) by Benji Davies. Benji is the first person in the seven-year-history of the award to win twice.
AOI World Illustration Awards - Winner
Winner of the Children’s Book Category; Would you like a Banana? (Walker Books) by Yasmeen Ismail.
BookTrust Storytime Prize 2020 - Winner
Winner of the BookTrust Storytime Prize 2020; This is Owl (Caterpillar Books) illustrated by Jacqui Lee
Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2020 – Illustrated Books Shortlist
Shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize; Once Upon A Unicorn Horn (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) by Beatrice Blue
CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2021 - Nominated
Perdu (Simon & Schuster Children’s UK) by Richard Jones
The Snow Dragon (Simon & Schuster Children’s UK) illustrated by Fiona Woodcock
Pick a Pumpkin (Walker Books) illustrated by Jarvis
Lights on Cotton Rock (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) by David Litchfield.
The Child of Dreams (Walker Books) illustrated by Richard Jones
CILIP Carnegie Medal 2021 - Nominated
Orphans of the Tide (Puffin) illustrated by Manuel Šumberac
The Deathless Girls (Orion Children’s Books) illustrated by Olga Baumert
Eating Chips with Monkey (Piccadilly Press) illustrated by Chris Jevons
Storm (HarperCollins Children’s Books) illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino
Echo Mountain (Penguin) illustrated by George Ermos
Shadowsea (Usborne Publishing) illustrated by Becca Stadtlander.
ELS InspiREAD 2020 Picture Books - Winner
Winner of the Picture Books Category; Gnome (Andersen Press) by Fred Blunt
ELS InspiREAD 2020 Shorter Books - Winner
Winner of the Shorter Books Category; Picklewitch and Jack (Faber & Faber) illustrated by Teemu Juhani
SLA Information Book Award Children’s Choice Awards 2020 - Winner
Winner of the SLA Information Book Award Children’s Choice Awards 2020; Heroes Who Help Us (Franklin Watts) illustrated by Ryan Wheatcroft
KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards – Honour Award for Illustration Winner
Winner of the Honour Award for Illustration; The Tide (Little Tiger Press) illustrated by Ashling Lindsay
The Awesome Book Awards 2020 - Winner
Winner of The Awesome Book Awards 2020; Boy Underwater (HarperCollins Children’s Books) illustrated by Benji Davies
Bank Street College of Education: Best Children’s Books of the Year 2020
Listed on the Best Children’s Books of the Year 2020 by Bank Street College of Education; The Pirate Tree (Lantana) illustrated by Jennie Poh
The British Book Awards 2020 Children’s Non-fiction & Illustrated Book of the Year - Shortlisted
Shortlisted for the Non-fiction & Illustrated Book of the Year Category; Prisoners of Geography (Elliott & Thompson Limited) illustrated by Jessica Smith and Grace Easton.
Bookseller Association Indie Book Awards 2020 - Shortlisted
Shortlisted for the Bookseller Association Indie Book Awards; Greta and the Giants (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) illustrated by Zoe Persico
Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Awards 2020 - Shortlisted
Zoo (Peek-a-Boo Baby) (Pat-a-Cake) illustrated by Zoe Waring
Impossible Boy (Quercus Children’s Books) illustrated by George Ermos
The Diddle that Dummed (Hodder Children’s Books) illustrated by Fred Blunt
CLPE Clippa Poetry Award 2020 – Shortlisted
Shortlisted for the CLPE Clippa Poetry Award; The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog (Walker Books) illustrated by Richard Jones
Books Are My Bag Readers Award 2020 - Shortlisted
Shortlisted for the Books Are My Bag Readers Award; Gargantis (Walker Books) illustrated by Bright Artist George Ermos
Little Rebels Award 2020 - Shortlist
Shortlisted for the Little Rebels Award; Sneaky Beak (Little Tiger Press) illustrated by Tony Neal
Little Rebels Award 2020 - Shortlist
Shortlisted for the Little Rebels Award; Now or Never – A Dunkirk Story (Scholastic) illustrated by Alette Straathof
Teach Primary Book Awards 2020 - Shortlisted
Good Knight, Bad Knight and the Flying Machine (Templar Publishing) by Tom Knight
The Snow Dragon (Simon & Schuster Children’s UK) illustrated by Fiona Woodcock
Accolades
Kirkus 100 Best Picture Books of 2020
A Story for Small Bear (Schwartz & Wade) illustrated by Bright Artist Richard Jones
The Times Best Children’s Books of the Year
The Puffin Keeper (Puffin) illustrated by Benji Davies
BookTrust Great Books Guide 2020
Would you Like a Banana? (Walker Books) by Yasmeen Ismail
The Lost Homework (Child’s Play) illustrated by Kirsti Beautyman
The Bear Who Did (Egmont) illustrated by Laura Hughes
Nuts! (Nosy Crow) illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail
Gnome (Andersen Press) by Fred Blunt
Mini Monsters: Can I Play? (Simon & Schuster Children’s UK) illustrated by Tony Neal
The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone (Guppy Books) illustrated by Karl James Mountford
Empire’s End - A Roman Story (Scholastic) illustrated by Alette Straathof
I, Cosmo (Nosy Crow) illustrated by Ben Mantle
Strange but True (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) illustrated by Gordy Wright
The Sunday Times Books of the Year
The Snowflake (Harper Collins Children’s Books) by Benji Davies
iNews 30 Best Children’s Books for Christmas 2020
Jungle Drop (Simon & Schuster Children’s UK) illustrated by George Ermos
The Slightly Alarming Tale of the Whispering Wars (Guppy Books) illustrated by Karl James Mountford
The Spectator Best Children’s Books for Christmas
The Puffin Keeper (Puffin) illustrated by Benji Davies
Evening Standard’s Best Books for Black History Month
Coming to England (Macmillan Children’s Books) illustrated by Bright Artist Diane Ewen
Reading Agency’s Summer Reading Challenge
This is Gus (Macmillan Children’s Books) by Chris Chatterton
Angry Cookie (Walker Books) illustrated by Maria Karipidou
Dog Diaries: Mission Impawsible (Arrow) illustrated by Richard Watson
Bunnies on the Bus (Walker Books) illustrated by Ben Mantle
Bad Cat! (Nosy Crow) by Nicola O’Byrne
Dragon Detective: Catnapped! (Stripes Publishing) illustrated by Scott Brown
The Reading Agency’s Reading Well
How are you feeling today? (Featherstone) illustrated by Sarah Jennings
What’s Going On Inside My Head? (Featherstone) illustrated by Sarah Jennings
How Not to Lose It: Mental Health (Scholastic) illustrated by Sophie Beer
Up and Down Mum (Child’s Play) illustrated by Summer Macon
EmpathyLab 2020: Read for Empathy Book Collections
Two Sides (Stripes Publishing) illustrated by Binny Talib
Can You See Me? (Scholastic) illustrated by Aaron Cushley
The Last Human (Piccadilly Press) illustrated by George Ermos
Polonius the Pit Pony (Child’s Play) illustrated by Feronia Parker-Thomas
Books of the Month
Booksellers Association - Indie Book of the Month - January
The Bear Who Did (Egmont) illustrated by Laura Hughes
Booksellers Association - Indie Book of the Month - March
Orphans of the Tide (Puffin) illustrated by Manuel Šumberac
Booksellers Association - Indie Book of the Month - July
The Diddle That Dummed (Hodder Children’s Books) illustrated by Fred Blunt
Waterstones Book of the Month - June
Wonderscape (Walker Books) illustrated by Paddy Donnelly
Waterstones Book of the Month - July
The Wild Way Home (Bloomsbury) illustrated by Ben Mantle
Pathways into Children’s Publishing - Book of the Week
Would You Like a Banana? (Walker Books) by Yasmeen Ismail
Pathways into Children’s Publishing - Book of the Week
Karate Kids (Walker Books) by Holly Sterling
WHSmiths Book of the Month
Big Words for Little People: Bravery (Oxford University Press) illustrated by Cristina Trapanese
Toppsta Book of the Month
Tad (Harper Collins Children’s Books) written and illustrated by Benji Davies
CLPE Book of the Week
The Diver’s Daughter (Scholastic) illustrated by Bright Artist Alette Straathof
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