KPMG Children's Books Ireland Books of the Year 2023

Every year I try to predict the Irish children’s books on the KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Books of the Year shortlist. The 2023 Awards are given to books published in 2022 by Irish writers or illustrators, or those living and working in Ireland.

It was an outstanding year for picturebooks in particular.

Here are my predictions:

1/ Frankie’s World by Aoife Dooley - overall award and Children’s Choice

Well a girl can dream! It would be amazing to see this outstanding graphic novel win the overall award.

2/ Be Wild Little One by Olivia Hope and Daniel Egnéus (Eilis Dillon Award for first book)

3/ The Wilderness by Steve McCarthy - a strong contender for the illustration award

4/ Girls Who Slay Monsters by Ellen Ryan and Shona Shirley Macdonald - another contender for the illustration award

5/ Fox and Sons Tailers by Paddy Donnelly (Wolves in Helicopters is pretty special too!)

6/ Our Dog Hen by David Mackintosh - one of my favourite pictuebook makers

7/ Our Green City by Tanya Lloyd Kyi and Colleen Larmour - one of my favourite picturebooks of the year

8/ The Chestnut Roaster by Eve McDonnell - outstanding historical fantasy

9/ Run for Your Life by Jane Mitchell

10/ Truth be Told by Sue Divin

Other possibles:

Well Done, Mummy Penguin by Chris Haughton (Walker Books)

Chirp! by Mary Murphy

Our Big Day by Bob Johnson and Michael Emberley

Amuigh Faoin Spéir by Sadhbh Devlin and Brian Fitzgerald

Cloud Babies by Eoin Colfer and Chris Judge

Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost, illustrated by PJ Lynch

Spellstoppers by Cat Gray - fantasy adventure at its best!

The Book of Secrets by Alex Dunne

The Lost Girl King by Catherine Doyle

The Shark and the Scar by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald

Twin Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber

The Secrets Act by Alison Weatherby

Things I Know by Helena Close

these are the words: Fearless verse to find your voice by Nikita Gill

The Eternal Return of Clara Hart by Louise Finch

Best of luck to all those who published books in 2022!

The KPMG Children's Books Ireland Awards 2021 (books from 2020)

The KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards shortlist will be announced next week - Tues 9th March. For more on the awards see here.

Here are the titles I think will be shortlisted. I do this some years, just for fun! Let’s see how many I get right.

My tip for book of the year - The Monsters of Rookhaven by Pádaig Kenny or On Midnight Beach by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick - both remarkable books.

My predictions for the shortlist:

1/ Would You Like a Banana? by Yasmeen Ismail - for it’s vibrant artwork and clever story for young readers.

2/ Only a Tree Knows How to Be a Tree by Mary Murphy - Murphy’s book is deceptively simple and her illustrations are joyful and and full of wonder.

3/ What We’ll Build by Oliver Jeffers - Jeffers is a world class picturebook writer/illustrator and this one is another winner.

4/ Elsetime by Eve McDonnell (Eilis Dillon Award?)

5/ The Monsters of Rookhaven by Pádraig Kenny, illustrated by Edward Bettison - this is my book of the year - it MUST be shortlisted or there is no justice!

6/ The Gone Book by Helena Close - really strong YA novel.

7/ Why the Moon Travels by Oein DeBharduin, illustrated by Leanne McDonagh - beautifully written Traveller tales - one of my favourite books of the year.

8/ On Midnight Beach by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick - one of the best YA novels of 2020 - another MUST!

9/ Savage Her Reply by Deirdre Sullivan, illustrated by Karen Vaughan - simply stunning.

10/ Míp by Máire Zept and Paddy Donnelly - a terrific picturebook with strong text and wonderful illustrations.

Others that might be shortlisted:

Chasing Ghosts by Nicola Pierce - a really story historical novel with some great writing.

Queen of Coin and Whispers by Helen Corcoran (Eilis Dillon Award)

Songs for Our Sons by Ruth Doyle and Alison Lindsay

Geansaí Ottó by Sadhbh Devlin and Róisín Hahessy

To the Island by Patricia Forde and Nicola Bernadelli

The Great Irish Farm Book by Darrah McCoullough, illustrated by Saly Caulwell

The Boldness of Betty by Anna Carey

While We Can’t Hug by Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar

Have You Seen the Dublin Vampire? by Úna Woods (Eilis Dillon Award?)

The Dead Zoo by Peter Donnelly

The Haunted Lake by P J Lynch

Irish Fairy Tales by Kieran Fanning

Break the Mould by Sinéad Burke, illustrated by Natalie Byrne

Children's Books Ireland Book of the Year Awards 2018

The 2018 Children’s Books Ireland Award is given to books published in 2017. There were some outstanding titles last year for all ages, from Rabbit and Bear for young readers of five plus (Julian McGough and Jim Field), to Sarah Crossan’s searing YA novel in verse, Moonlight.

Every year I predict the titles that will be on the shortlist and the overall winner. This year I have a book in the mix, A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea, illustrated by the hugely talented Steve McCarthy. Obviously I’d love it to be shortlisted. I believe Steve’s illustrations are outstanding and if it is shortlisted we will both be over the moon. Let's wait and see!

The shortlist will be announced on the 12th March and the awards are on 23rd March (tbc).

So here goes – my predictions for the CBI Awards 2018:

Picturebooks

1/ The President’s Glasses by Peter Donnolly 

A wonderfully funny tale about what happens when the president of Ireland forgets his glasses. Striking illustrations in luscious colour.

2/ Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers

A heartfelt ode to the world for his new baby son. Glorious illustrations in a more painterly style. A treat for the eye.

Early Readers

3/ Rabbit and Bear: The Pest in the Nest by Julian Gough, illustrated by Jim Field

I am a huge fan of Rabbit and Bear – what brilliant characters. Funny and thoughtful, a super book for reading aloud. 

Age 9+

4/ Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, illustrated by Giovanni Rigano

Moving graphic novel about two refugee brothers who are making their way from North Africa to Europe by boat. Not to be missed.

5/ Hopscotch in the Sky by Lucinda Jacobs, illustrated by Lauren O’Neill

Moving and thought-provoking poems for children about subjects that fascinate children. A brilliant collection from one of our most important children’s poets. (Disclaimer – I worked with Lucinda at the early stages of this book.)

Age 12+

6/ Pavee and the Buffer Girl by Siobhan Down, illustrated by Emma Shoard

Graphic novel about a traveller girl. Siobhan write it before she died and her writing as always is lyrical and powerful.

7/ A Dangerous Crossing by Jane Mitchell                      POSSIBLE OVERALL WINNER

Excellent novel about a refugee boy from Kobani, Syria. Strong and powerful.

8/ Star by Star by Sheena Wilkinson

Suffragette tale by one of our most talented writers.

YA

9/ Moonrise by Sarah Crossan                  POSSIBLE OVERALL WINNER

Powerful novel in verse about death row that deserves to be read.

10/ The Space Between by Meg Grehan

Debut novel in verse about an Irish teenager with mental health problems. Brave and moving.

11/ Tangleweed and Brine by Deirdre Sullivan

Lyrical, sinuous writing make these feminist retellings of fairy tales leap off the page. Not to be missed.

Other outstanding books from 2017 that might make the shortlist

Like Other Girls by Claire Hennessy

Claire is an outstanding YA writer and this book about gender politics and identity pulls you in from the first page.

The Girl in Between by Sarah Carroll

Debut about a homeless girl and her mother from a writer to watch.

Stand by Me by Judi Curtin

Judi’s books are beautifully written and are much loved by readers. This one goes back time to the 1960s.

Knights of the Borrowed Dark: The Forever Court by Dave Rudden

Brilliant fantasy adventure with heart.

The Lotterys Plus One by Emma Donoghue

A tale of a family with two dads, two moms and seven children.

Good luck everyone!