As we all now know, as we love the Branford Boase Award here at LoveReading, the Branford Boase Award was set up in the memory of award-winning author Henrietta Branford and her editor Wendy Boase. It rewards the most promising new authors and their editors, highlighting excellence in writing and publishing for children.

Previous winners of the prize include Frances Hardinge and her editor Ruth Alltimes for Fly By Night, Muhammad Khan and editor Lucy Pearse for I Am Thunder and Liz Hyder and editor Sarah Odedina for Bearmouth.

The 2021 award was won by Struan Murray and his editor Ben Horslen for Orphans of the Tide and we hosted the Award Winners Ceremony at the ">LoveReading LitFest.

Take a look at the 2021 shortlisted titles here and find out more about the Award.

Entries are now open for the Branford Boase Award 2022 with publishers invited to make their submissions by the closing date, midnight Friday 26th November 2021.

As 2021 winner, Struan Murray becomes a judge for the 2022 award and he is joined on the judging panel by critic Imogen Russell Williams; Farrah Serroukh, research and development director CLPE; and Sonia Thompson, head teacher at St Matthew’s C.E. Primary School, Birmingham. The judging panel will be chaired by our very own  Julia Eccleshare who is also children's director of the Hay Festival. The winner will be announced next July and the Branford Boase Award is sponsored by Walker Books.

The submission form and full criteria can be found at branfordboaseaward.org.uk/2022-bba-details/