Awards & Winners

Children's Laureate

Children's Laureate

Children's Laureate is a position awarded in the United Kingdom once every two years to a "writer or illustrator of children's books to celebrate outstanding achievement in their field." The post stemmed from a discussion between the incumbent Poet Laureate Ted Hughes and children's writer Michael Morpurgo. A panel of judges considers nominations from a range of organisations representing librarians, critics, writers and booksellers, including the International Board on Books for Young People. They also consider writers and illustrators nominated directly by children, who now vote online. The award is funded by several publishing industry and charity sector sponsors, including the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. As of 2013 its main sponsor is Waterstones, the UK's largest bookseller; it was sponsored by Ottakar's before the two companies merged. A bursary of £15,000 is offered for the two-year term. The Children's Laureate receives a silver medal at the announcement ceremony, most recently 4 June 2013 for Malorie Blackman. The Laureate makes frequent public appearances in person and in the media. Two weeks later, for example, Blackman and Melvin Burgess appeared at a London "event exploring the 'adult' in young adult fiction".
Date Established : 1999

Check all the winners of Children's Laureate presented under Children's Laureate since 1999 .