The CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal goes to Town Is by the Sea!

We are absolutely thrilled that Sydney Smith has won the 2018 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal for Town Is by the Sea, written by Joanne Schwartz.

Sydney's stunning illustrations show the striking contrast between a sparkling seaside day and the darkness underground where the miners of the town dig.

This beautifully understated and haunting story brings a piece of mining history to life. The ever-present ocean and inevitable pattern of life in a mining town has enthralled children and moved adult readers, as a young boy wakes up to the sound of the sea, visits his grandfather's grave after lunch and comes home to a cosy dinner with his family, but all the while his mind strays to his father digging for coal deep down under the sea.

You can watch Sydney talk about Town Is by the Sea here, and discover learning resources for all the shortlisted books here.

Sydney Smith has illustrated multiple children’s books, including The White Cat and the Monk, written by Jo Ellen Bogart, and the highly acclaimed Footpath Flowers, which was a New York Times Children’s Book of the Year, a winner of the Governor General Award for Illustration and shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal. 

Find him on Twitter as @sydneydraws.



Also appearing on the shortlist from Walker Books: 

King of the Sky illustrated by Laura Carlin, written by Nicola Davies. Watch Laura discuss the book here.

A Fist Book of Animals illustrated by Petr Horáček, written by Nicola Davies. Watch Petr discuss the book here.

This is the 11th CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal win for Walker Books, you can find a list of winners below.

2018 Sydney Smith, Town Is by the Sea

2014 Jon Klassen, This is Not My Hat

2012 Jim Kay, A Monster Calls
2004 Chris Riddell, Jonathan Swift's “Gulliver”
2002 Bob Graham, Jethro Byrde- Fairy Child
2001 Chris Riddell, Pirate Diary
1999 Helen Oxenbury, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
1997 P J Lynch, When Jessie Came Across the Sea
1995 P J Lynch, The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey
1988 Barbara Firth, Can't You Sleep Little Bear?
1985 Juan Wijngaard, Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady

Three Walker Picture Books Shortlisted for the 2018 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal

We are absolutely thrilled to say that three Walker picture books have made the shortlist of the 2018 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal. You can see the full selection of titles below.

King of the Sky illustrated by Laura Carlin, written by Nicola Davies

A Fist Book of Animals illustrated by Petr Horáček, written by Nicola Davies 

Town is by the Sea illustrated by Sydney Smith, written by Joanne Schwartz

Good to luck to all the illustrators shortlisted! You can pick copies of all these books at your local bookshop.

PREVIOUS KATE GREENAWAY MEDAL WINS FOR WALKER BOOKS:

2014 Jon Klassen, This is Not My Hat
2012 Jim Kay, A Monster Calls
2004 Chris Riddell, Jonathan Swift's “Gulliver”
2002 Bob Graham, Jethro Byrde- Fairy Child
2001 Chris Riddell, Pirate Diary
1999 Helen Oxenbury, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
1997 P J Lynch, When Jessie Came Across the Sea
1995 P J Lynch, The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey
1988 Barbara Firth, Can't You Sleep Little Bear?
1985 Juan Wijngaard, Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady

The Mouse Who Wasn't Scared by Petr Horáček

Little Mouse wants to play in the woods. They are dark and full of big scary animals. But Little Mouse isn't afraid of anything – or is she? 

Lift the flap to find out. A charming story about bravery – with a hilarious lift the flap surprise – from a Kate Greenaway Medal-shortlisted illustrator, who has been described by The Washington Post as "the thinking tot's Eric Carle".

Behind the scenes with Petr Horáček

We’re excited to welcome Petr Horáček to the Picture Book Party blog for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Mouse Who Wasn't Scared

The Mouse Who Wasn’t Scared is the fourth book with the character of Little
Mouse.

The very first book was called A New House for Mouse.

The book won the award 'Picture Book of the Year 2005' in Holland and was
part of Book Trust’s ‘Bookstart’ programme.

I remember being on holiday in Greece when I received a phone call from my
publisher. I was asked if I would consider writing a second book with the
character of Little Mouse.

I had no ambition to make a series of books with the same character, so I
rejected the idea straight away.

The same day, sitting on the beach, looking at the starry sky I wrote The Mouse
Who Ate the Moon. 'The Mouse Who Reached the Sky followed a couple years later.

The truth is, that I fell in love with Little Mouse. She is childlike, naive, jolly,
funny and she makes me smile.

The Mouse Who wasn't Scared is about the fact that we all are scared of something. Often we are scared of very different things.

Is the bear the scariest animal in the woods?

Is the wolf the scariest?

Or…..is it the little, fluffy, pussycat?!!

One inspiration for The Mouse Who Wasn't Scared was probably the artwork
itself.

Every autumn I spend a couple of weeks on my own. I stay in a cottage in the
Czech Republic. The cottage is on a hill by a wood.

I love walking in woods and I love painting and drawing in woods. It’s often
during these walks that I get an idea for a book.

This book wasn’t different.

 

Whilst working on the book’s illustrations I enjoyed the contrast of the outside
world and the interior of woods; the contrast of the gloomy, grey tree trunks with the occasional appearance of the colour of leaves, mushrooms or the Mouse's colourful, stripy socks.

Painting the big ‘scary’ animals was also fun. Especially painting the moose. 

I’ve never drawn a moose before. Now I would love to do a book about a moose
one day. 

The whole process of working on ' The Mouse Who Wasn't Scared' was great
fun.

I hope that some of the joy of working on the story got into the book and the
book will make you smile.

Petr Horacek’s bold and imaginative illustrations continue to captivate children and critics. 

His stories, often about loyalty and belonging, are told with an instinctive warmth and humour and are beautifully brought to life through his evocative use of colour and texture. He has won many awards around the world for classics such as Suzy Goose  and was shortlisted for the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal in 2012.

Visit Petr's website: www.petrhoracek.co.uk