One lucky reader can win the books shortlisted for the 2023 Branford Boase Award.

Established in 2000, the Branford Boase is awarded annually to the author of the outstanding debut novel for children. Uniquely, it also honours the editor of the winning title and highlights the importance of the editor in nurturing new talent.

The Branford Boase Award has an exemplary record in picking out future stars. Past winners and shortlisted authors include Meg Rosoff, Katya Balen, Philip Reeve, Frances Hardinge, Patrick Ness, M.G. Leonard, and Marcus Sedgwick. Last year’s winner was Maisie Chan for Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths.

There are 8 books on the 2023 shortlist. Julia Eccleshare, co-founder of the award and chair of the judges says, ‘There’s an exciting freshness to this year’s Branford Boase Award shortlist, not just in terms of the diversity of the authors, but in the stories they are choosing to tell. What children read influences how they see the world and it’s inspiring that new writers are telling stories that give children the means to understand the complexities of their world, and to help them to see beyond their own experiences.’

The eight books are:

• The Bones of Me Kel Duckhouse edited by Harriet Birkinshaw (Flying Eye Books) YA
• The Eternal Return of Clara Hart by Louise Finch, edited by Siobhàn Parkinson (Little Island Books) YA
• Seed by Caryl Lewis, edited by Sarah Hughes, illustrated by George Ermos (Macmillan Children’s Books) 7+
• Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Linn, edited by Gráinne Clear (Walker Books) 12+
• The Cats We Meet Along the Way Nadia Mikail, edited by Bella Pearson (Guppy Books) YA
• Ellie Pillai is Brown Christine Pillainayagam, edited by Leah Thaxton (Faber) 13+
• The Haunting of Tyrese Walker J P Rose, edited by Chloe Sackur (Andersen Press) 12+
• The Map of Leaves Yarrow Townsend, edited by Rachel Leyshon (Chicken House) 10+

You can find out more about all the books and their authors and editors on the Branford Boase Award website.

To win a set of the eight shortlisted books, simply email branford.boase@gmail.com with your name and address. Include ‘World Book Day 2023 Branford Boase Award Competition’ in the title of your email.

The closing date is Monday 5 June 2022.

Good luck!

The winner of the Branford Boase Award will be announced at a ceremony in central London on Thursday 13 July 2023.

The Branford Boase Award is delivered in partnership with the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) and supported by Walker Books.