Former Student Author nominated for Branford Boase Award 2018
We are excited and proud that former pupil Mitch Johnson has been nominated for the hugely prestigious Branford Boase Award. This is the 19th year that the prize will be awarded to a first-time children’s author. Mitch is up against six other contenders for the prize.
You may recall that our World Book Day celebrations this year welcomed Mitch back to NSB. He gave funny and thought-provoking talks to both Year 7 and Year, sharing his knowledge about the Indonesian sweat-shops where football boots are stitched. He read excerpts from his novel, which boys then bought and had signed during lunchtime – a queue that never ended until the afternoon registration bell!
This year, the Branford Boase judges are Urmi Merchant of children’s bookshop Pickled Pepper Books; Helen Swinyard, librarian at Heartlands High School and founder of the Haringey Children’s Book Award; author and reviewer Philip Womack; and M.G. (Maya) Leonard, author of Beetle Boy, winner of the 2017 Branford Boase Award. Previous shortlisted authors include Siobhan Dowd, Meg Rosoff, Mal Peet, Philip Reeve, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Patrick Ness and Frances Hardinge.
This is the seventh award ‘Kick’ has been shortlisted for. Mitch has also won the Sefton SuperReads Award (2018), the Summer Challenge Favourite Books of the Year Award (2017).
The winner of the 2018 Branford Boase Award will be announced on Wednesday 4th July at a ceremony in London. The winning author receives a cheque for £1,000 and both author and editor receive a unique, hand-crafted silver-inlaid box. We wish Mitch all the very best of luck.
Read more about the Bradford Boase Award: Click Here
You can find out more about Mitch: Click Here
