Frances Hardinge wins Branford Boase Award

Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge, edited by Ruth Alltimes and published by Macmillan Children's Books, has won this year's Branford Boase Award. Set in a vividly imagined alternative 18th Century, its cast of characters includes an orphan heroine whose best friend is a homicidal goose and together they lead a revolution.

The Award Ceremony took place at Walker Books, London, on Thursday 29th June. The Children's Laureate, Jacqueline Wilson, who is a major sponsor of this prestigious award, attended, along with many of the previous winners.

On hearing of her success Frances Hardinge said: "As a first-time author, even being placed on the short list for the Branford Boase was unimaginably exciting. Discovering that I have won it has left me with an acute sense of unreality."

The Judges this year were

• Meg Rosoff, who last year won the award for her spectacular debut How I Live Now, said "Fly by Night is a delightful historical fantasy about the power of books with a thoroughly unexpected heroine. It's also sophisticated, funny and fresh; I loved it."
• Sam Harrison of Waterstone's bookshops
• Geraldine Brennan of the Times Educational Supplement
• Clive Barnes of Southampton Libraries
• Julia Eccleshare, Chair of the Judges, said "Frances Hardinge is an excellent choice for this year's Award. Fly by Night is a beautifully written novel, set in a vividly imagined world. I am very much looking forward to seeing what she does next."

Fly by Night won against stiff competition which reflected the continued enthusiasm on the part of children's publishers for nurturing new talent. The full shortlist was:

• Century by Sarah Singleton, edited by Venetia Gosling (Simon & Schuster)
  Highly Commended
• 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)
• Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge, edited by Ruth Alltimes (Macmillan)
• 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)

Jacqueline Wilson, the Children's Laureate, and sponsor of the Branford Boase Award, also presented prizes to six children, winners of the Henrietta Branford Writing Competition. Further information on this can be found on http://www.branfordboaseaward.org.uk/

The annual Branford Boase Award celebrates the most promising book for seven year-olds and upwards by a first-time novelist, and highlights the importance of the editor in nurturing new authors. The author may have published other books in another genre - for example, poetry or a picture book - but eligibility for the prize requires that this is her or his first children's novel. In addition to drawing attention to fresh talent in the field of children's books and encouraging publishers to find and promote new writers, the Award sets out to alert readers of all ages to the work of an interesting newcomer. The contribution of the Editor in the writing process is also acknowledged and promoted in this Award. The winning author receives a cheque for £1000, and both author and editor receive a handcrafted hardwood box in the shape of a book, inlaid in silver with the Branford Boase logo.

The Branford Boase Award was set up in memory of the outstanding children's writer Henrietta Branford and the gifted editor, Wendy Boase, Editorial Director of Walker Books. They worked together on a number of books, a partnership they greatly enjoyed. They both died of cancer in 1999.