Limerick students help choose winners of 'prestigious' book awards

STUDENTS from eleven Limerick schools helped assessed the shortlisted books of this year’s KPMG Children’s Books Awards. 

The students participated in the Junior Jurors’ Programme to choose the winners of this year’s awards, which were announced at a ceremony in Merrion Square as part of the International Literature Festival Dublin.

Through the KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards Junior Juries’ Programme, young people in schools, libraries and book clubs shadowed adult judges on the judging panel in reading, discussing and assessing the shortlisted books.

Students from Thomond Community College, Dromtrasna National School, St Nessans National School, Scoil Mhuire, Broadford, Ballybrown National School, Gaelscoil an Ráithín, Doon Convent National School, Ahane National School, Presentation Primary School Sexton Street Limerick, Pallaskenry National School and Scoil Mháthair Dé Abbeyfeale selected their favourites alongside an independent panel of expert judges, including a Young Judge.

Speaking at the ceremony, Elaina Ryan, CEO of Children’s Books Ireland, said: "Our congratulations to every one of the authors, illustrators and publishers celebrating their wins. Through our KPMG Junior Juries programme, we have seen the wonder and delight that these six books have inspired in young readers across Ireland, and it is a joy to recognise and reward the artists that created them at this level."

Ms Ryan added: “Ireland has always been a nation of storytellers, and every one of these winners exemplifies the sheer excellence visible in contemporary Irish children’s books. As we celebrate another year of the KPMG Children’s Book Awards, we hope that the celebrations encourage them to keep creating stories that speak as powerfully to their readers as these.”

The winning titles of this year's KPMG Children’s Books Ireland are debut author Ellen Ryan who won the KPMG Book of the Year Award with her book ‘Girls Who Slay Monsters’. 

Maggie O’Farrell won the Honour Award for Fiction with ‘The Boy Who Lost His Spark’, while the Honour Award for Illustration was won by Steve McCarthy with his book ‘The Wilderness’. Alex Dunne won The Eilís Dillon Award for best debut with ‘The Book of Secrets’, The Judge’s Special Award went to ‘An Slipéar Gloine’ by Fearghas Mac Lochlain, and the KPMG Junior Juries’ Award was won by Ellen Ryan with ‘Girls Who Slay Monsters’.

A total prize-fund of €16,000 has been awarded to this year’s winners.

 Joint Head of Literature and Drama for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Damian Smyth, commented: “These awards are recognised as the most prestigious for children’s books in Ireland, and we are thrilled once again to see two artists from Northern Ireland taking home prizes. The stories we encounter in childhood are the ones that shape us for life, and the young readers of Ireland are fortunate to have such excellent homegrown titles at their fingertips. Our congratulations to everyone celebrating!”  

The KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards and Junior Juries programme are supported by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland National Lottery Funding.