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Glasgow illustrator shortlisted for Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2017
Meg McLaren, a printmaker from Glasgow, is in the running for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2017, widely regarded as one of the most prestigious accolades in the world of children’s books. Announced Wednesday 8th February, McLaren is shortlisted in the Illustrated Books category for her picture book debut Life is Magic (Andersen Press, £6.99)
Born and raised in Glasgow, Meg McLaren studied at the Cambridge School of Art where she graduated from the MA in Children's Book Illustration in 2013. She has since returned to Scotland where she now works as a printmaker and illustrator in Inverness. In the nominated Life is Magic she tells the enchanting tale of magician’s assistant Houdini the rabbit.
Meg McLaren said:
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. I was a picture book fan long before I was a picture book maker so I’ve always been excited to see the choices that make the illustrated shortlist. I can’t really believe that this year I’m one of them.”
Angie Crawford, Waterstones Buying Manager for Scotland said:
“The skill in writing (and illustrating!) a picture book lies in the ability to convey big ideas simply and effectively so that the book can be read and reread on different levels. Life is Magic does this wonderfully. It is a story of true friendship that lingers long after reading and the illustrations delight and bring talking points of their own. In Scotland, we are intensely proud to see this gorgeous book shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize.”
The Waterstones Children’s book prize exists to reward and champion new and emerging talent in children’s books. Now in its thirteenth year, it is widely regarded as one of the most important prizes for children’s books.
The winners will be announced at an evening reception at Waterstones Piccadilly (London), Europe’s largest bookshop, on Thursday 30th March 2017. Six books will compete within each category to be crowned category winner, with the three category winners then vying for the overall title of Waterstones Children’s Book of the Year 2017. The winner of each category will receive £2000, with the overall winner receiving an extra £ 3000.In the event that the prize is awarded to a partnership then the prize money will be split equally between the joint winners.
The winning authors will also see a significant boost in sales, and the promise of an ongoing commitment to their writing career from all Waterstones shops nationwide.
Last year’s winner, My Brother is a Superhero by David Solomons became a number one Children’s bestseller and saw an increase in sales of over 1400% across the Waterstones estate.
The full lists of shortlisted titles (in alphabetical order by author) for the 2017 Prize are:
Illustrated Books:
The Bear Who Stared by Duncan Beedie (Templar - Bonnier)
Life is Magic by Meg McLaren (Andersen Press)
Super Stan by Matt Robertson (Orchard Books - Hachette)
The Journey by Francesca Sanna (Flying Eye)
Tiger in a Tutu by Fabi Santiago (Orchard Books - Hachette)
There's a Tiger in the Garden by Lizzy Stewart (Frances Lincoln)
Younger Fiction:
Cogheart by Peter Bunzl (Usborne)
Captain Pug by Laura James (Bloomsbury)
Beetle Boy by M.G Leonard (Chicken House)
The Girl of Ink & Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave (Chicken House)
Time Travelling with a Hamster by Ross Welford (HarperCollins)
Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk (Corgi – Penguin Random House)
Older Fiction:
Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eager (Walker)
Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield (Egmont)
Orangeboy by Patrice Lawrence (Hodder - Hachette)
The Wildings by Nilanjana Roy (Pushkin)
Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit (Bodley Head)
The Sun is also a Star by Nicola Yoon (Corgi – Penguin Random House)