Maisie Chan and her editor Georgia Murray of Piccadilly Press win the 2022 BRANFORD BOASE AWARD awarded to the author and editor of the outstanding debut novel for children
Maisie Chan is the winner of the 2022 Branford Boase Award for the year’s outstanding debut novel for children for her comic, family story Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths, about an 11-year-old whose life is turned upside down by his growing friendship with his grandmother, newly arrived from China. The award is shared with Chan’s editor, Georgia Murray, of Piccadilly Press.
The Branford Boase Award was set up in the memory of award-winning author Henrietta Branford and her editor Wendy Boase. It rewards the most promising new authors and their editors, highlighting excellence in writing and publishing for children. The Award is made annually to the most promising book for children of seven and upward by a first-time novelist and celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019.
Six talented young writers aged between 10 and 16 are the winners of this year’s Henrietta Branford Writing Competition for Young People.
Entrants were asked to complete a story begun by last year’s Branford Boase Award winner, author of Orphans of the Tide, Struan Murray. His starter paragraph is full of possibilities: an empty house, fireworks suddenly frozen in time, a figure moving in the garden. It clearly caught the imagination of young writers, attracting over 500 entries.
Struan was hugely impressed by the six winners. He says, ‘The quality of the writing really impressed me. These young writers have come up with brilliant ideas and their passion for storytelling leaps off the page. They should all be very proud of themselves.
Anne Marley
8 Bolderwood Close, Bishopstoke, Eastleigh, Hants, SO50 8PG
Tel: 02380 600439 | Mob: 07976 082049 | Email: anne.marley@tiscali.co.uk
Andrea Reece
Tel: 07807 893369 | Email: andrea.reece@zen.co.uk