Previous Winners – The Branford Boase Award and The Henrietta Branford Writing Competition

The Branford Boase Award
Previous Winners

2025: Glasgow Boys

Author: Margaret McDonald
Editors: Alice Swan and Ama Badu

The Other 2025 Nominees

Peregrine Quinn and the Cosmic Realm by Ash Bond, edited by Ruth Bennett (Piccadilly Press)

The Boy in the Suit by James Fox, edited by Lauren Fortune (Scholastic)

Wild East by Ashley Hickson-Lovence, edited by Katie Sinfield (Penguin Random House)

All the Hidden Monsters by Amie Jordan, edited by Rachel Leyshon (Chicken House)

The Boy to Beat the Gods by Ashley Thorpe, edited by Sarah Stewart (Usborne)

2024: Steady For This

Author: Nathanael Lessore
Editor: Ella Whiddett and Ruth Bennett
Publisher: Hot Key Books

The Other 2024 Nominees

The Final Year Matt Goodfellow, illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton, edited by Charlotte Hacking (Otter-Barry Books)

The First Move by Jenny Ireland, edited by Ruth Knowles with Sara Jafari (Penguin)

Safiyyah’s War by Hiba Noor Khan, edited by Eloise Wilson (Andersen Press)

The Swifts by Beth Lincoln, illustrated by Claire Powell, edited by Ben Horslen and Julie Strauss-Gabel (Puffin)

You Think You Know Me by Ayaan Mohamud, edited by Sarah Stewart (Usborne)

2023: Ellie Pillai is Brown

Author: Christine Pillainayagam
Editor: Leah Thaxton
Publisher: Faber: YA

The Other 2023 Nominees

The Bones of Me by Kel Duckhouse, edited by Harriet Birkinshaw (Flying Eye Books) YA

The Eternal Return of Clara Hart by Louise Finch, edited by Siobhán Parkinson (Little Island Books) YA

Seed by Caryl Lewis, edited by Sarah Hughes, illustrated by George Ermos (Macmillan Children’s Books) 8+

Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin, edited by Gráinne Clear (Walker Books) 11+

The Cats We Meet Along the Way by Nadia Mikail, edited by Bella Pearson (Guppy Books) YA

The Haunting of Tyrese Walker by J P Rose, edited by Chloe Thackur (Andersen Press) 11+

The Map of Leaves by Yarrow Townsend, edited by Rachel Leyshon (Chicken House) 9+

2022: Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths

Author: Maisie Chan
Editor: Georgia Murray
Publisher: Piccadilly Press: 9+

The Other 2022 Nominees

Skin of the Sea
Natasha Bowen, edited by Carmen McCullough and Tricia Lin (Penguin) YA

The Upper World
Femi Fadugba, edited by Emma Jones, Stephanie Stein & Asmaa Isse (Penguin) YA

Grow
Luke Palmer, edited by Penny Thomas (Firefly Press) YA

The Valley of Lost Secrets
Lesley Parr, edited by Zöe Griffiths (Bloomsbury) 9+

Digger and Me
Ros Roberts, edited by Ella Whiddett and Ruth Bennett (Little Tiger) 9+

The Boy who Made Everyone Laugh
Helen Rutter, edited by Lauren Fortune (Scholastic) 9+

Grimwood
Nadia Shireen, edited by Ali Dougal (Simon and Schuster) 7+

2021: Orphans of the Tide

Author: Struan Murray
Illustrator: Manuel Sumberac
Editor: Ben Horslen
Publisher: Puffin: 9+

The Other 2021 Nominees

When Life Gives You Mangoes
by Kereen Getten, edited by Sarah Odedina (Pushkin Children’s Books 9+)

Witch
by Finbar Hawkins, edited by Fiona Kennedy (Zephyr 13+)

And the Stars Were Burning Brightly
by Danielle Jawando, edited by Jane Griffiths (Simon and Schuster YA)

A Kind of Spark
by Elle McNicoll, edited by Eishar Brar (Knights Of 9+)

Run, Rebel
byManjeet Mann, edited by Carmen McCullough (Penguin YA)

The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates
byJenny Pearson, illustrated by Rob Biddulph, edited by Rebecca Hill and Becky Walker (Usborne 8+)

2020: Bearmouth

Author: Liz Hyder
Editor: Sarah Odedina
Publisher: Pushkin Press (12+)

The Other 2020 Nominees

Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties
by Humza Arshad & Henry White, illustrated by Aleksei Bitskoff, edited by Sharan Matharu and Holly Harris (Puffin)

The Space We’re In
by Katya Balen, illustrated by Laura Carlin, edited by Lucy Mackay-Sim (Bloomsbury)

A Pocketful of Stars
by Aisha Bushby, edited by Liz Bankes and Sarah Levison (Egmont)

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
by Holly Jackson, edited by Lindsey Heaven (Electric Monkey)

Frostheart
by (and illustrated by) Jamie Littler, edited by Naomi Colthurst (Puffin)

The Million Pieces of Neena Gill
by Emma Smith-Barton, edited by Naomi Colthurst (Penguin)

2019: I Am Thunder

Author: Muhammad Khan
Editor: Lucy Pearse
Publisher: Macmillan (YA)

The Other 2019 Nominees

Orphan Monster Spy
by Matt Killeen edited by Sarah Stewart and Kendra Levin (Usbourne)

The Boy at the Back of the Class
by Onjali Q Raúf, edited by Lena McCauley (Orion Children’s Books)

The Goose Road
by Rowena House, edited by Mara Bergman (Walker Books)

Rosie Loves Jack
by Mel Darbon, edited by Sarah Stewart (Usborne)

The Train to Impossible Places
by P.G. Bell, edited by Rebecca Hill and Becky Walker (Usborne)

The House with Chicken Legs
by Sophie Anderson, edited by Rebecca Hill and Becky Walker (Usborne)

2018: Kick

Author: Mitch Johnson
Editor: Rebecca Hill & Becky Walker
Publisher: Usborne

The Other 2018 Nominees

A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars
by Yaba Badoe, edited by Fiona Kennedy (Head of Zeus: Zephyr)

The Starman and Me
by Sharon Cohen, edited by Sarah Lambert (Quercus Children’s Books)

Fish Boy
by Chloe Daykin, edited by Leah Thaxton (Faber)

Knighthood for Beginners
by Elys Dolan, edited by Clare Whitston and Elv Moody (Oxford)

Potter’s Boy
by Tony Mitton, edited by Anthony Hinton (David Fickling Books)

The City of Secret Rivers
by Jacob Sager Weinstein, edited by Gill Evans (Walker Books)

2017: Beetle Boy

Author: M.G. Leonard
Editors: Barry Cunningham and Rachel Leyshon
Publisher: Chicken House

The Other 2017 Nominees

Cogheart
by Peter Bunzi, edited by Rebecca Hill (Usborne)

We are Giants
by Amber Lee Dodd, edited by Niamh Mulvey, (Quercus)

Little Bits of Sky
by Sue Durrant, edited by Kirsty Stansfield (Nosy Crow)

The Bubble Boy
by Stewart Foster, edited by Rachel Mann (Simon and Shuster)

The Girl of Ink and Stars
by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, edited by Rachel Leyshon (Chicken House)

Riverkeep
by Martin Stewart, edited by Shannon Cullen and Sharyn November (Penguin Random House)

2016: Aubrey and the Terrible Yoot

Author: Horatio Clare
Editor: Penny Thomas
Publisher: Firefly Press

The Other 2016 Nominees

Stone Rider
by David Hofmeyr, edited by Ben Horslen and Tig Wallace (Penguin Radom House)

The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones
by Will Mabbitt, edited by Ben Horslen, illustrations by Ross Collins (Penguin Radom House)

My Brother is a Superhero
by David Solomons, edited by Kirsty Stansfield (Nosy Crow)

Time Travelling with a Hamster
by Ross Welford, edited by Nick Lake (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

The Art of Being Normal
by Lisa Williamson, edited by Bella Pearson (David Fickling Books)

2015: Leopold Blue

Author: Rosie Rowell
Editor: Emily Thomas
Publisher: Hot Key Books

The Other 2015 Nominees

Bone Jack
by Sara Crowe, edited by Charlie Sheppard and Eloise Wilson (Andersen Press)

The Year of the Rat
by Clare Furniss, edited by Jane Griffiths (Simon and Schuster)

Cowgirl
by Giancario Gemin, edited by Kirstie Stansfield (Nosy Crow)

Half Bad
by Sally Green, edited by Ben Horslen (Puffin)

Trouble
by Non Pratt, edited by Annalie Grainger and Denise Johnstone-Burt (Walker Books)

The Dark Inside
by Rupert Wallis, edited by Jane Griffiths (Simon and Schuster)

2014: Infinite Sky

Author: C. J Flood
Editor: Venetia Gosling
Publisher: Simon and Schuster

The Other 2014 Nominees

Winter Damage
by Natasha Carthew, edited by Rebecca McNally (Bloomsbury)

Wild Boy
by Rob Lloyd Jones, edited by Mara Bergman and Lucy Early (Walker)

Red Ink
by Julie Mayhew, edited by Emily Thomas (Hot Key)

Alex the Dog and the Unopenable Door
by Ross Montgomery, edited by Rebecca Lee and Susila Baybars (Faber)

The Poison Boy
by Fletcher Moss, edited by Imogen Cooper and Barry Cunningham (Chicken House)

Geek Girl
by Holly Smale, edited by Lizzy Clifford (HarperCollins)

2013: A Boy and a Bear in a Boat

Author: Dave Shelton
Editor: David Fickling
Publisher: David Fickling

The Other 2013 Nominees

After the Snow
by S D Crockett, edited by Emma Young (Macmillan)

The Things We Did for Love
by Natasha Farrant, edited by Julia Heydon-Wells (Faber)

Daylight Saving
by Edward Hogan, edited by Mara Bergman (Walker)

A Hen in the Wardrobe
by Wendy Meddour, edited by Janetta Otter-Barry (Frances Lincoln)

Black Arts
by Andrew Prentice & Jonathan Weil, edited by Simon Mason (David Fickling)

A World Between Us, Highly Commended BBA 2013
by Lydia Syson, edited by Sarah Odedina (Hot Key)

2012: My Sister Lives on the Mantlepiece

Author: Annabel Pitcher
Editor: Fiona Kennedy
Publisher: Orion

The Other 2012 Nominees

Long Lankin
by Lindsey Barraclough, edited by Annie Eaton and Natalie Doherty (Bodley Head)

Being Billy
by Phil Earle, edited by Shannon Park (Puffin)

Small Change for Stuart
by Lissa Evans, edited by Annie Eaton and Ruth Knowles (Bodley Head)

Everybody Jam
by Ali Lewis, edited by Charlie Sheppard (Andersen Press)

Sky Hawk
by Gill Lewis, edited by Liz Cross (OUP)

A Beautiful Lie
by Irfan Master, edited by Emma Matthewson (Bloomsbury)

2011: Out of Shadows

Author: Jason Wallace
Editor: Charlie Sheppard
Publisher: Andersen Press

The Other 2011 Nominees

I Am The Blade
by J.P. Buxton, edited by Beverley Birch (Hachette)

When I Was Joe
by Keren David, edited by Maurice Lyon (Frances Lincoln)

Tall Story
by Candy Gourlay, edited by Bella Pearson (David Fickling)

Unhooking The Moon
by Gregory Hughes, edited by Roisin Heycock (Quercus)

The Crowfield Curse
by Pat Walsh, edited by Imogen Cooper (Chicken House)

2010: Stolen

Author: Lucy Christopher
Editor: Imogen Cooper
Publisher: Chicken House

The Other 2010 Nominees

Devil’s Kiss
by Sarwat Chadda, edited by Lindsey Heaven, published by Puffin

Life, Interrupted
by Damian Kelleher, edited by Anne Clark, published by Piccadilly Press

Guantanamo Boy
by Anna Perera, edited by Shannon Park, published by Puffin

Big and Clever
by Dan Tunstall, edited by Ross Bradshaw, published by Five Leaves

Numbers
by Rachel Ward, edited by Imogen Copper, published by Chicken House

Paradise Barn
by Victor Watson, edited by Leonie Pratt, published by Catnip

2009: The Traitor Game

Author: B. R. Collins
Editor: Emma Matthewson
Publisher: Bloomsbury

The Other 2009 Nominees

The Toymaker
by Jeremy de Quidt, edited by Bella Pearson (David Fickling Books)

Ways to Live Forever
by Sally Nicholls, edited by Marion Lloyd (Scholastic / (Marion Lloyd Books)

The Knife of Never Letting Go
by Patrick Ness, edited by Denise Johnstone-Burt (Walker Books)

Bloodline
by Katy Moran, edited by Denise Johnstone-Burt ( Walker Books)

Between Two Seas
by Marie-Louise Jensen, edited by Liz Cross (Oxford University Press)

Flood Child
originally published as Reavers’ Ransom by Emily Diamand, edited by Imogen Cooper (Chicken House)

2008: Before I Die

Author: Jenny Downham
Editor: David Fickling and Bella Pearson
Publisher: David Fickling Books

The Other 2008 Nominees

The Door of No Return
by Sarah Mussi, edited by Beverley Birch (Hodder Children’s Books)

Waves
by Sharon Dogar, edited by Barry Cunningham (Chicken House)

Nathan Fox: Dangerous Times
by L Brittney, edited by Rachel Denwood (Macmillan Children’s Books)

Anna Hibiscus
by Atinuke, edited by Averil Whitehouse (Walker Books)

Finding Violet Park
by Jenny Valentine, edited by Stella Paskins (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

2007: A Swift Pure Cry

Author: Siobhan Dowd
Editor: David Fickling and Bella Pearson
Publisher: David Fickling Books

The Other 2007 Nominees

Gideon the Cutpurse Highly Commended BBA 2007
by Linda Buckley-Archer, edited by Venetia Gosling (Simon & Schuster)

Stoneheart
by Charlie Fletcher, edited by Anne McNeil (Hodder)

Beast
by Ally Kennen, edited by Marion Lloyd (Marion Lloyd Scholastic)

The Awful Tale of Agatha Bilke
by Sian Pattenden, edited by Aurea Carpenter (Short Books)

Your a Bad Man, Mr Gum
by Andy Stanton, edited by Leah Thaxton (Egmont)

Note of Madness
by Tabitha Suzuma, edited by Charlie Sheppard (Random House)

2006: Fly By Night

Author: Frances Hardinge
Editor: Ruth Alltimes
Publisher: Macmillan

The Other 2006 Nominees

Century, Highly Commended BBA 2006
by Sarah Singleton, edited by Venetia Gosling (Simon & Schuster)

Home
by Nicola Davies, edited by Caz Royds (Walker)

A Dog Called Grk
by Joshua Doder, edited by Audrey Adams and Liz Maude (Andersen Press)

The Burying Beetle
by Ann Kelley, edited by Jennie Renton (Luath Press)

Hellbent
by Anthony McGowan, edited by Shannon Park (Doubleday)

Barkbelly
by Cat Weatherill, edited by Yvonne Hooker (Puffin)

2005: How I Live Now

Author: Meg Rosoff
Editor: Rebecca McNally
Publisher: Puffin

The Other 2005 Nominees

Unique
by Alison Allen-Grey, edited by Kathy Webb (OUP)

Millions
by Frank Cottrell Boyce, edited by Sarah Dudman (Macmillan)

Dizzy
by Cathy Cassidy, edited by Rebecca McNally (Puffin Books)

Zeus on the Loose
by John Dougherty, edited by Sue Cooke (Young Corgi)

Wolf Brother
by Michelle Paver, edited by Fiona Kennedy (Orion)

Last Train from Kummersdorf
by Leslie Wilson edited by Suzy Jenvey (Faber)

2004: Keeper

Author: Mal Peet
Editor: Paul Harrison
Publisher: Walker

The Other 2004 Nominees

The Various
by Steve Augarde, edited by David Fickling (David Fickling Books)

Inventing Elliott
by Graham Gardner, edited by Fiona Kennedy (Dolphin)

Follow me down
by Julie Hearn, edited by Liz Cross (OUP)

Fish
by L.S. Matthews, edited by Rachel Wade (Hodder)

Montmorency
by Eleanor Updale, edited by Kirsten Skidmore (Scholastic)

2003: Martyn Pig

Author: Kevin Brooks
Editor: Barry Cunningham
Publisher: Chicken House

The Other 2003 Nominees

Massive
by Julia Bell, edited by Sarah Davies (Macmillan)

Ice Boy
by Patricia Elliott, edited by Jon Appleton (Hodder)

The Firing
by Richard MacSween, edited by Audrey Adams (Andersen)

Frank and the Black Hamster of Narkiz
by Livi Michael, edited by Rebecca McNally (Puffin)

The Quigleys
by Simon Mason, edited by David Fickling/Bella Pearson (David Fickling Books)

Feather Boy
by Nicky Singer, edited by Lucy Courtenay (HarperCollins)

2002: Cold Tom

Author: Sally Prue
Editor: Liz Cross
Publisher: OUP

The Other 2002 Nominees

Jessica Haggerthwaite – witch dispatcher
by Emma Barnes, edited by Emma Matthewsob (Bloomsbury)

The Beat Goes On
by Adelen Minchin, edited by Audrey Adams (Women’s Press)

(Un)arranged Marriage
by Bali Rai, edited by Sue Cook/Annie Eaton (Corgi)

Mortal Engines
by Philip Reeve, edited by Kirsty Skidmore (Scholastic)

2001: Floodland

Author: Marcus Sedgwick
Editor: Fiona Kennedy
Publisher: Orion

The Other 2001 Nominees

Control Shift
by Nick Manns, edited by Beverley Birch (Hodder)

Thanis
by Hazel Riley, edited by Ron Heapy (OUP)

Wind Singer
by William Nicholson, edited by Cally Poplak (Egmont)

2000: Song Quest

Author: Katherine Roberts
Editor: Barry Cunningham
Publisher: Chicken House

The Other 2000 Nominees

Hunting Gumnor
by Stephen Pots, edited by Miriam Hodgson (Egmont)

Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging
by Louise Rennison, edited by Brenda Gardner/Judith Evans (Piccadilly)

Can we keep it, Dad?
by Gus Clarke, edited by Janice Thomson (Andersen Press)

Troublemakers
by Paul May, edited by Sue Cook (Transworld)

The Giant Goldfish Robbery
by Richard Kidd, edited by Annie Eaton/Alex Antscherl (Transworld)

Sharp Stuff
by Dominic Barker, edited by Annie Eaton/ Alex Antscherl (Transworld).

BBA & HBWC Administrator

Andrea Reece
30 Winton Avenue, London, N11 2AT
Tel: 0208 889 1292
Mob: 07807 893369
Email: branford.boase@gmail.com

Press Enquiries

Andrea Reece
Tel: 07807 893369 | Email: branford.boase@gmail.com