Booker Prize - for children

[MsAmerica]

Did you hear about this?

The Booker Prize creates a children's category
The new Children’s Booker Prize aims to reward quality fiction for kids
https://apnews.com/article/childrens-booker-prize-fiction-aa888a080a8e270f6da16744bf5996cf

Booker Prize launches new award for children's fiction including young judges
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ydgg1lzdgo

Can a Booker Prize for kids solve the reading crisis?
A Booker for children: New prize hopes to rekindle young readers’ love of books
The Booker Prize Foundation has launched the Children’s Booker Prize, a new £50,000 award celebrating fiction for readers aged eight to 12.
indianexpress.com/article/books-and-literature/booker-prize-for-children-kids-10324227/

I think it’s an excellent idea. Anything that raises the profile of children’s books must be good and I like the fact that children will be involved in the judging process. Also Frank Cottrell Boyce is chairing the judges which gives me confidence.

Yes, interesting idea to have child judges!

There is the long standing Carnegie medal for children's books and the Kate Greenaway medal for illustration which are the most prestigious awards.

Waterstones do yearly prizes for children's books. There was also the whitbread/costa awards for children's books but that was discontinued in 2022. Among many many others.

I very much doubt another prize will 'solve the reading crisis' but it's an interesting way to advertise the Booker Prizes.

Unfortunately the Carnegie has over the last ten years or so become predominantly a prize for YA/ teenage fiction so it’s good to have a prize specifically for the 8-12 age group. Particularly with the demise of the Costa awards. I agree that on its own it won’t solve the reading crisis but, with Booker money behind it, it may help.