KPMG Children's Books Ireland Awards

The KPMG Children's Books Ireland Awards, previously known as the CBI Book of the Year Awards (Irish: Duaiseanna Leabhair na Bliana CBI) and the Bisto Book of the Year Awards, are literary awards presented annually in the Republic of Ireland to writers and illustrators of books for children and young people. The Awards are run by Children's Books Ireland (CBI) and are open to authors and illustrators born or resident in Ireland; books may be written in English or Irish. Many bestselling, internationally renowned authors have won a "Bisto", including Eoin Colfer, John Boyne and several times winner Kate Thompson.

KPMG Children's Books Ireland Awards
Sponsored byKPMG
CountryIreland
Formerly called
  • CBI Book of the Year Awards
  • Bisto Book of the Year Awards
Websitechildrensbooksireland.ie

The awards were sponsored by Bisto (Premier Foods) from their inception.[1]

First awarded in 1990 (with the Book of the Decade Awards), there are currently seven prizes awarded:

  • The KPMG Children's Books Ireland Book of the Year Award
  • Honour Award for Fiction
  • Honour Award for Illustration
  • Eilís Dillon Award (for a first children's book) - named in honour of writer Eilís Dillon
  • The Judges' Special Award
  • The Junior Juries' Award (previously the Children’s Choice Award)
  • The Reading Hero Award (awarded from 2020 onwards) - presented to a young reader, recognising their potential and celebrating their remarkable passion for books

Previously the winner of Book of the Year won a perpetual trophy and €10,000; the 3 winners of the Merit Awards (the Honour Award for Illustration, the Honour Award for Writing, the Judges' Special Recognition Award) shared a combined prize fund of €6,000; the Eilís Dillon Award winner for first time writers also won a trophy and €3,000.[2] Currently there is a €6,000 prize for the Children’s Book of the Year and a €2,000 prize each for the Honour Award for Fiction, the Honour Award for Illustration, the Eilís Dillon Award, The Judges' Special Award, and The Junior Juries' Award.[3][4]

In 2010, the Children's Choice award was introduced to mark the 20th anniversary of the Bisto Book of the Year Awards. It was chosen by 10 Junior Juries from all around Ireland, and was awarded to Jane Mitchell's Chalkline. The Judges' Special Recognition Award was not awarded in 2010.

Past winners

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Source: Children's Books Ireland[5]


Book of the Year Award

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Year Title Author Publisher
2023 Girls Who Slay Monsters Ellen Ryan and Shona Shirley Macdonald HarperCollins Children's Books
2022 Gut Feelings C.G. Moore UCLan
2021 Savage Her Reply Deirdre Sullivan and Karen Vaughan Little Island Books
2020 Nóinín Máire Zepf Cois Life
2019 Flying Tips for Flightless Birds Kelly McCaughrain Walker Books
2018 Tangleweed and Brine Deirdre Sullivan and Karen Vaughan Little Island Books
2017 Goodnight Everyone Chris Haughton Walker Books
2016 One Sarah Crossan Bloomsbury Publishing
2015 Once Upon an Alphabet: Short Stories for All the Letters Oliver Jeffers Philomel
2014 Hagwitch Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick Orion Children's Books
2013 Grounded Sheena Wilkinson Fitzhenry & Whiteside
2012 Into the Grey Celine Kiernan O'Brien Press
2011 A Bit Lost Chris Haughton Walker Books
2010 There Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick Roaring Book Press
2009 Bog Child Siobhán Dowd David Fickling
2008 The London Eye Mystery Siobhán Dowd David Fickling
2007 The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas John Boyne David Fickling
2006 The New Policeman Kate Thompson The Bodley Head
2005 Annan Water Kate Thompson The Bodley Head
2004 Wings Over Delft Aubrey Flegg O'Brien Press
2003 You, Me and the Big Blue Sea Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick Gullane
The Alchemist's Apprentice Kate Thompson The Bodley Head
2002 The Beguilers Kate Thompson The Bodley Head
2001 Izzy and Skunk Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick Blackwater Press
2000 Faraway Home Marilyn Taylor O'Brien Press
1999 Tales of Wisdom and Wonder Niamh Sharkey Barefoot Books
1998 Dream Invader Gerard Whelan O'Brien Press
1997 Sisters ... No Way! Siobhán Parkinson O'Brien Press
1996 The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey P. J. Lynch Poolbeg Press
1995 Blaeberry Sunday Elizabeth O'Hara (Éilís Ní Dhuibhne) Poolbeg Press
1994 When Stars Stop Spinning Jane Mitchell Poolbeg Press
1993 The Blue Horse Marita Conlon-McKenna O'Brien Press
1992 The Summer of Lily and Esme John Quinn Poolbeg Press
1991 The Island of Ghosts Eilís Dillon Faber and Faber

Merit Awards

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Year Title Winner Publisher
2018[6] Chocolate Cake Kevin Waldron, illustrator Puffin Books
Star by Star Sheena Wilkinson Little Island Books
Illegal Eoin Colfer Hodder
2017[7] Goodnight Everyone Chris Haughton, illustrator Walker Books
Needlework Deirdre Sullivan Little Island Books
Bliain na nAmhrán Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin, Jennifer Farley, Brian Fitzpatrick, Tarsila Krüse, Christina O'Donovan Futa Futa
2016 Gulliver Lauren O'Neill, illustrator The O'Brien Press
Asking For It Louise O'Neill Quercus
Irelandopedia Fatti Burke & John Burke Gill
2015 Shh! We Have a Plan Chris Haughton, illustrator Candlewick Press
Daideo Áine Ní Ghlinn Cois Life
Haiku más é do thoil é! Gabriel Rosenstock & Brian Fitzgerald An Gúm
2014 The Mysterious Traveller P. J. Lynch Walker Books
The Sleeping Baobab Tree Paula Leyden Walker Books
The Day the Crayons Quit Oliver Jeffers, illustrator HarperCollins
2013 This Moose Belongs to Me Oliver Jeffers HarperCollins
Dark Warning Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick Orion
Hóng Anna Heussaff Cló lar-Chonnacht
2012 Stuck Oliver Jeffers HarperCollins
The Butterfly Heart Paula Leyden Walker Books
Maitríóisce Siobhán Parkinson Cois Life
2011 The Heart and the Bottle Oliver Jeffers Philomel
Mac Rí Eireann Andrew Whitson New Island Books
Taking Flight Sheena Wilkinson Walker Books
2010 Solace of the Road Siobhán Dowd David Fickling
There Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick Roaring Book Press
Chalkline Jane Mitchell Walker Books
2009 Highway Robbery Kate Thompson The Bodley Head
The Great Paper Caper Oliver Jeffers HarperCollins
Creature of the Night Kate Thompson The Bodley Head
2008 The Black Book of Secrets F. E. Higgins Macmillan
The Way Back Home Oliver Jeffers HarperCollins
Wilderness Roddy Doyle Scholastic
2007 The Incredible Book-Eating Boy Oliver Jeffers HarperCollins
Hurlamaboc Éilís Ní Dhuibhne Cois Life
Something Invisible Siobhán Parkinson Penguin
2006 Lost and Found Oliver Jeffers HarperCollins
A Horse Called El Dorado Kevin Kiely O'Brien Press
Penny the Pencil Eileen O'Hely Mercier Press
2005 Something Beginning with P Corrina Askin, Alan Clarke and Emma Byrne O'Brien Press
How to Catch a Star Oliver Jeffers HarperCollins
The Gods and their Machines Oisín McGann O'Brien Press
2004 Origins Kate Thompson The Bodley Head
You Can Do It Sam Anita Jeram Walker Books
The Ravenous Beast Niamh Sharkey Walker Books
2003 Fox Matthew Sweeney and Colmán Ó Raghallaigh Bloomsbury
An Tóraíocht The Cartoon Saloon Cló Mhaigh Eo
War Children Gerard Whelan O'Brien Press
2002 Artemis Fowl Eoin Colfer Puffin
Caught on a Train Carlo Gébler Egmont
An Sclábhaí Colmán Ó Raghallaigh Cló Mhaigh Eo
2001 The Wish List Eoin Colfer O'Brien Press
Dirt Tracks Martina Murphy Poolbeg Press
The Orchard Book of Ghostly Stories Martin Waddell Orchard Press
2000 Siúloid Bhreá Mary Arrigan An Gúm
Fierce Milly Marilyn McLaughlin Egmont
Silent Stones Mark O'Sullivan Wolfhound Press
1999 The Long March Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick Wolfhound Press
The Moon King Siobhán Parkinson O'Brien Press
An Rógaire agus a Scáil Gabriel Rosenstock An Gúm
1998 The Hungry Wind Soinbhe Lally Poolbeg Press
When Jessie Came Across the Sea P. J. Lynch Poolbeg Press
Four Kids, Three Cats, Two Cows, One Witch (maybe) Siobhán Parkinson O'Brien Press
1997 An Eala Dubh Cliodhna Cussen and Cormac Ó Snodaigh Coiscéim
The Lantern Moon Maeve Friel Poolbeg Press
The Guns of Easter Gerard Whelan O'Brien Press
1996 Hannah or Pink Balloons Mary Beckett Marino Books
Sceoin sa Bhoireann Ré Ó Laighléis Cló Iar-Chonnachta
Lockie and Dadge Frank Murphy O'Brien Press
1995 Goodbye Summer, Goodbye Rose Doyle Attic Press
Catkin P. J. Lynch Poolbeg Press
Ecstasy agus Scéalta Eile Ré Ó Laighléis Cló Iar-Chonnachta
1994 The Chieftain's Daughter Sam McBratney O'Brien Press
The Hiring Fair Elizabeth O'Hara (Éilís Ní Dhuibhne) Poolbeg Press
The Pony Express Máirín Johnston Attic Press

Éilís Dillon Award for a First Children's Book

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Year Title Author Publisher
2023 The Book of Secrets Alex Dunne O'Brien Press
2022 Rescuing Titanic: A True Story of Quiet Bravery in the North Atlantic Flora Delargy Wide Eyed Editions
2021 Why the Moon Travels Oein DeBhairduin and Leanne McDonagh Skein Press
2020 Mór agus Muilc Kim Sharkey Éabhlóid
2019 Flying Tips for Flightless Birds Kelly McCaughrain Walker Books
2018 The Space Between Meg Grehan Little Island Books
2017 The Ministry of Strange, Unusual and Impossible Things Paul Gamble Little Island Books
2016 Irelandopedia Fatti Burke & John Burke Gill
2015 Only Ever Yours Louise O'Neill Quercus
2014 Not awarded
2013 The Weight of Water Sarah Crossan Bloomsbury
2012 The Butterfly Heart Paula Leyden Walker
2011 A Bit Lost Chris Haughton Walker
2010 The Third Pig Detective Agency Bob Burke HarperCollins
2009 Anila's Journey Mary Finn Walker Books
2008 The Thing With Finn Tom Kelly Macmillan
2007 A Swift Pure Cry Siobhán Dowd David Fickling
2006 Snakes' Elbows Deirdre Madden Orchard Books
2005 An Bhó Riabhach Siobhán Ní Shíthigh An Gúm
2004 Amach Alan Titley An Gúm
2003 Gyrfalcon Grace Wells O'Brien Press
2002 Adam's Starling Gillian Perdue O'Brien Press
2001 The Lost Orchard Patrick Deeley O'Brien Press
2000 Fierce Milly Marilyn McLaughlin Egmont
1999 Dea-Scéala Caitríona Hastings Cló Iar-Chonnachta
1998 It's a Jungle Out There Ed Miliano Wolfhound Press
1997 The Guns of Easter Gerard Whelan O'Brien Press
1996 Lockie and Dadge Frank Murphy O'Brien Press
1995 Melody for Nora Mark O'Sullivan Wolfhound Press

Awards in discontinued categories

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Bisto Children's Book of the Decade (1980–1990)

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Fiction: Run with the Wind; Run to Earth; Run Swift; Run Free by Tom McCaughren, Jeanette Dunne (Wolfhound Press)

Information Books: Exploring the Book of Kells: Brendan the Navigator by George Otto Simms, David Rooney (O'Brien Press)

Books for Young Readers: Grandma's Bill by Martin Waddell, illus. Jane Johnson (Simon & Schuster)

Irish Language: An Chanáil by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, transl. Bernadine Nic Ghiolla Phádraig An Gúm

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Winners of multiple awards

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References

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  1. ^ "General Info: Bisto Book of the Year Awards – Leabhar-Ghradaim Bisto"]. October 2008. Children's Books Ireland. Archived 2008-10-09. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  2. ^ Children's Books Ireland - About The Awards Archived 12 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "KPMG Children's Books Ireland Awards". 27 January 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  4. ^ "KPMG renew title sponsorship of KPMG Children's Books Ireland Awards". November 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Award archive". Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  6. ^ "Children's Books Ireland Book of the Year revealed".
  7. ^ "27th Children's Books Ireland Book of the Year Awards". 23 May 2017.
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