Competition details
The prize has been established by the English Association in memory of Margaret Mallett, a Fellow of the English Association and a long-serving member of the editorial board of our journal English 4-11, who died after a short illness in March 2017. Margaret was a passionate advocate for high quality books for children, and in particular non-fiction books. She had a deep and wide-ranging knowledge of children’s literature, and her reviews of new titles in Books for Keeps and the School Librarian were hugely admired. She was able to get to the heart of a book and deliver a perceptive judgement that was both just and generous.
The winner of the inaugural prize in 2017 was It Starts With a Seed by Laura Knowles, illustrated by Jennie Webber, words & pictures, 978190277171. The prize was awarded at the English Association’s Annual General meeting on 24 May 2017.
2019 Award
The award for 2019 was won by Rebel Voices: the rise of votes for women By Louise Kay Stewart, illustrated by Eve Lloyd Knight (Hachette Children’s Group).
2018 Award
The 2018 prize was awarded to Lots: The Diversity of Life on Earth by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Emily Sutton (Candlewick Press).
2017 Award
The winner of the inaugural prize in 2017 was It Starts With a Seed by Laura Knowles and illustrated by Jennie Webber (Words and Pictures Press).
