“Particularly rich and varied”: The shortlist for the 2023 Branford Boase Award.
Founded in 2000 to commemorate prize-winning author Henrietta Branford and influential Walker Books editor Wendy Boase, the Branford Boase Award is given annually to the author of the year’s outstanding debut novel for children. Uniquely, it also honours the editor of the winning title and highlights the importance of the editor in nurturing new talent.
The Branford Boase Award has an exemplary record in picking out future stars. Past winners and shortlisted authors include Meg Rosoff, Katya Balen, Philip Reeve, Frances Hardinge, Patrick Ness, M.G. Leonard, and Marcus Sedgwick. Last year’s winner was Maisie Chan for Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths.
From a longlist of 21, the judges have chosen eight to shortlist. The list includes the winner of the 2023 Waterstones Children’s Book Award, The Cats We Meet Along the Way, by Nadia Mikail, edited by Bella Pearson (Guppy Books), as well as The Eternal Return of Clara Hart by Louise Finch, edited by Siobhàn Parkinson (Little Island Books), currently shortlisted for the 2023 Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing.