Media Releases

THE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION GREENAWAY MEDAL SHORTLIST -
JUDGES' COMMENTS

RON BROOKS FOX (Author Margaret Wild)
Cats Whiskers: Franklin Watts, £10.99 - hb  Age range: 7+ ISBN:  1903012120                                                      

A powerful story of friendship versus desire. Will Magpie betray her partner Dog for the promises that Fox offers? The imagery is intense with Brooks’ raw and glowing paintings radiating a wonderful texture that amplifies the increasingly threatening mood of the story. The text and illustrations are totally in tune in a picture book with an intriguingly ambiguous ending.

ANTHONY BROWNE  WILLY’S PICTURES
Walker Books, £10.99 - hb Age range: 7+ ISBN:  0744561655

Beautifully presented as pages from Willy’s sketchpad, this is a fascinating attempt to introduce children to a range of artistic masterpieces all featuring Willy and his friends. Crammed with details and ‘in jokes’ Browne’s love of art shines out of every picture. Fun and originality are the watchwords as Browne pushes the boundaries of illustration while taking his work to a new level.

RUTH BROWN SNAIL TRAIL                                                                                                                                   
Andersen Press, £9.99 - hb Age range: 2+ ISBN: 0862649498

The tiny and intimate world of the snail fills both the page and the reader’s senses. There is great humour in the illustrations, showing everyday garden implements from different perspectives. Brown allows herself to show without always having to tell. A gloriously exuberant expression of colour is only one bonus in a book in which the whole package comes together - story, style and presentation.

LAUREN CHILD BEWARE OF THE STORYBOOK WOLVES
Hodder Children’s Books, £9.99 - hb Age range: 5+ ISBN:  0340779152

Torn-collage techniques, deceptively scribbly outlines and bright colours bring the characters bouncing off the page in a new take on traditional fairy tales. A well considered design with each character having their own typeface. There is a strong sense of drama, clever use of scale and the integration of pictures and text is superb. An imaginative book.

LAUREN CHILD I WILL NOT EVER NEVER EAT A TOMATO
Orchard Books, £4.99 - pb Age range: 4+ ISBN:  184121602-X

Child’s innovative solution to the problem of fussy eating is mirrored in her equally innovative mixture of photography, collage and drawing. Every element of the design complements the deceptively simple story creating a totally integrated experience. A book with immediate impact.

TED DEWAN CRISPIN: THE PIG WHO HAD IT ALL
Doubleday, £9.99 - hb Age range: 4+  ISBN:  0385410743

The bold, exuberant illustrations catch the reader’s eye first, and then closer examination shows just how every page is crammed with extraordinary detail. Dewan’s clever use of layout, colour and perspective emphasise the different moods of the story creating a sense of space, action or surprise. This story contrasts the emptiness of materialism with the warmth of friendship as it follows Crispin’s heartwarming journey to understanding.

JANE RAY FAIRY TALES  (Author Berlie Doherty)
Walker Books, £14.99 - hb Age range 7+ ISBN:  0744561159 (for shared reading)

Distinctive and sumptuous gilt edged illustrations have a haunting quality that enhances this collection of traditional tales. Ray combines strong, vivid colours with a breath-taking delicacy of touch to create pictures that illuminate the spare yet evocative narrative. The richness of these images is balanced by the use of additional silhouette illustrations. Lastly, more subtlety coloured backgrounds set off the text demonstrating an impeccable unity of design.

Notes

• These are the 2000 Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Awards, announced in 2001.  Books published in the UK between 01/01/00 and 31/12/00 are eligible.
• The Colin Mears Award of £5000 to the Greenaway winner has been made possible by a generous bequest from Colin Mears, a collector of children's books.  Mears, a Worthing based accountant, had a long-standing interest in children's illustration and was a keen collector of works by Kate Greenaway and Edward Ardizzone. The bulk of his collection has been left to the Worthing Museum and Art Gallery.

Further information for the media only from:

Becca Wyatt, Carnegie / Greenaway Media Officer
Tel: 020 7603 1776    Fax: 020 7371 1750
E-mail: 106077.3102@compuserve.com

Julie Clare, Carnegie / Greenaway Media Officer
Tel: 020 8806 1936    Fax: 020 8806 4817
E-mail: aviva65@aol.com

27 April 2001