Branford Boase Award 2014 Longlist

29 UK debut novels for children have made it onto this year’s Branford Boase Award longlist.  The Branford Boase Award is one of my favourite book awards because it is unique in honouring both author and editor, and it creates an exciting and inspiring nurturing space for children’s literature. We’re delighted that some of our favourite reads from last year are on here. Fingers crossed.

Julia Eccleshare, The Guardian children’s books editor, chairs the judging panel and said: “It has been another exceptional year for debut writers and it was exciting to receive so many submissions for the award: no less than 17 different publishers feature on the longlist, which once again is very varied, with fantasy stories, romances, adventure stories, comedies, family stories and more.”

The shortlist for the Award will be announced on 1^st May 2014. The winner will be announced on Thursday 10th July in London alongside winners of the Henrietta Branford Writing Competition for writers under 19.

Longlist - Branford Boase Award 2014

Anthem for Jackson Dawes by Celia Bryce, edited by Emma Matthewson (Bloomsbury)

Sorrowline by Niel Bushnell, edited by Charlie Sheppard (Andersen Press)

The Child’s Elephant by Rachel Campbell-Johnston edited by Bella Pearson and Natalie Doherty (David Fickling Books)

Frost Hollow Hall by Emma Carroll, edited by Rebecca Lee (Faber)

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

The Bone Dragon by Alexia Casale, edited by Rebecca Lee (Faber)

Tiger Thief by Michaela Clarke, edited by Kirsty Stansfield (Nosy Crow)

Darcy Burdock by Laura Dockrill, edited by Lauren Buckland (Random House)

After Eden by Helen Douglas, edited by Ele Fountain (Bloomsbury)

Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve, edited by Emily Thomas (Hot Key)

Infinite Sky by C.J. Flood, edited by Venetia Gosling (Simon and Schuster)

The Disappeared by C.J. Harper, edited by Jane Griffiths (Simon and Schuster)

Wild Boy by Rob Lloyd Jones edited by Mara Bergman (Walker)

The Mysterious Adventures of Clemency Wrigglesworth by Julia Lee, edited by Liz Cross and Helen Bray (OUP)

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

The Oathbreaker’s Shadow by Amy McCulloch, edited by Lauren Buckland (Random House)

Ferryman by Claire McFall, edited by Helen Boyle (Templar)

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

The River Singers by Tom Moorhouse, edited by Liz Cross and Claire Westwood (OUP)

East of the Sun, West of the Moon by Jackie Morris, edited by Janetta Otter-Barry (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books)

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

The Hanged Man Rises by Sarah Naughton, edited by Venetia Gosling (Simon and Schuster)

Gabriel’s Clock by Hilton Pashley, edited by Charlie Sheppard/Eloise Wilson (Andersen Press)

Acid by EmmaPass, edited by Ruth Knowles and Jessica Clarke (Random House)

Sun Catcher by Sheila Rance, edited by Fiona Kennedy (Orion)

The Quietness by Alison Rattle, edited by Sarah Odedina (Hot Key)

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

My Friend the Enemy by Dan Smith, edited by Rachel Leyshon (Chicken House)

The Last Wild by Piers Torday, edited by Sarah Lambert (Quercus)

The Branford Boase Award 2013 was won by Dave Shelton (author) and David Fickling (editor) for A Boy and A Bear in a Boat. Lydia Syson (author) and Sarah Odedina (editor) were highly commended for AWorld Between Us.