2022 Bookbug Picture Book Prize Announced

Three Edinburgh based authors nominated for award

Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, has today announced the shortlist for the 2022 Bookbug Picture Book Prize. Now in its sixth year, the shortlist includes Alastair Chisholm, Catherine Rayner, David Roberts, and Zoë Ingram.

The award was established to celebrate the most popular picture books by Scottish authors and illustrators and to encourage reading for pleasure.

The shortlist is selected by an independent panel of experts including Primary 1 teachers, a children’s librarian, children’s bookseller and Bookbug coordinator as well as experts from Scottish Book Trust’s Early Years Team.

The winner is then chosen by thousands of children across the country who can cast their votes online either at school with their teacher or at home with their families, via the Scottish Book Trust website.

THE BOOKBUG PICTURE BOOK PRIZE 2022 SHORTLIST IS:

• Arlo the Lion Who Couldn’t Sleep by Catherine Rayner
• Inch and Grub by Alastair Chisholm and illustrated by David Roberts
• My First Book of Woodland Animals illustrated by Zoë Ingram

The 2022 shortlist features an exhausted lion who meets an owl friend; competitive cavemen; and a beautifully illustrated wild animal spotter guide.

Catherine Rayner is an author and illustrator of children’s picture books. She studied Illustration at Edinburgh College of Art where, for her final degree show, she created what would go on to be her debut picture book.

Originally from Yorkshire, Catherine fell in love with the city of Edinburgh and still lives there. She was winner of the 2009 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal for Harris Finds His Feet. In 2010, she was the inaugural illustrator in residence at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Catherine Rayner said: “I’m so excited to be on such an amazing shortlist. “I’m a huge supporter of Scottish Book Trust and all they do so this is an exceptionally special honour. Arlo is extremely excited too!”

Alastair Chisholm is an award-winning children’s author and puzzle creator. He’s the author of the sci-fi middle-grade adventures Orion Lost and Adam-2, and children’s picture books The Prince and the Witch and the Thief and the Bears, as well as books of Sudoku, Kakuro and other puzzles, including the Kids’ Book of Sudoku and Kids’ Book of Kakuro series. Alastair lives in Edinburgh with his wife and two children.

David Roberts is a children’s illustrator originally from Liverpool. He has illustrated a large number of books in both black and white and colour. He has worked with such well-known authors as Philip Ardagh, Peter Bently and Julia Donaldson.

His sister Lynn Roberts is also a writer and the siblings have collaborated on several retellings of fairy stories, including Rapunzel: A Groovy Fairy Tale, which was shortlisted for a Blue Peter Book Award, and Little Red: A Fizzingly Good Yarn, which was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal.

Alastair said: “It’s a joy to see Inch and Grub shortlisted for the Bookbug Picture Book Prize, and especially to be included in the Bookbug bag!

“This is a brilliant and vital project, and one my own daughters benefited from when they were younger – it’s wonderful now to think of my and David’s book becoming part of it. Thank you so much!”

Zoë Ingram is an artist & illustrator based in Edinburgh. With a printed textile design degree under her belt and a career in the creative arts spanning over twenty years, Zoë now focuses on client commissions and personal work.

Zoë primarily works with mixed media and digital applications, often combining traditional and digital techniques. Zoë has also recently written and published her first book, Oh My Gouache!, a beginner’s guide to painting with opaque watercolour.

Zoë said: “I’m so thrilled to be shortlisted for the Bookbug Picture Book Prize. “It’s such an honour to be chosen and I just hope that everyone who reads My first book of Woodland Animals has as much fun finding out about all the lovely animals and insects in the book as I did when I was illustrating them.”

61,000 pupils across Scotland will receive a free copy of each of the three books on the shortlist, which are given to every Primary 1 child during Book Week Scotland (15 November – 21 November), in the Bookbug P1 Family Bag.

The winner of the Bookbug Picture Book Prize will be announced in an exclusive video to all registered groups on Wednesday 26 January. The winner will receive a specially commissioned trophy and £2,000 while shortlisted authors and illustrators receive £500 per book.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “Congratulations to all those who have been shortlisted for the Bookbug Picture Book Prize. We encourage schools and families across Scotland to read the shortlisted titles and vote for their favourite.

“We hope the children receiving their Bookbug P1 Family Bag will enjoy sharing these stories at home and with their classmates.”

 Katalina Watt, Literature Officer at Creative Scotland, said: “The Bookbug Picture Book Prize is such a special award with its focus on reading for enjoyment and placing young readers at the heart of the selection process.

“Warm congratulations to all the authors and illustrators who submitted their stories and to those making up such a rich and varied shortlist.”

The deadline for voting is Friday 10 December 2021 at 5pm.