Branford Boase Award Winner Announced

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Out Of Shadows by Jason Wallace , published by Andersen Press was given the Branford Boase Award 2011 last night. The Branford Boase Award is given annually to  the most outstanding work of fiction for children created by a first time novelist. The Branford Boase award also honours the editor pf the winning title, in this case  Charlie Sheppard, and highlights the important work done by editors in nurturing and bringing to light new authors.
"Out of Shadows is set in Zimbabwe in the 1980s. The war is over, independence has been won and Robert Mugabe has come to power offering hope, land and freedom to black Africans. It is the end of the old way and the start of a promising new era. For Robert Jacklin, it’s all new: new continent, new country, new school. But, very quickly he learns that for some of his classmates, the sound of guns is still loud, and their battles rage on." (see link)
Previous winners have included such critically acclaimed authors as Marcus Sedgwick, Meg Rosoff, and Mal Peet. Out of a very competitive, outstanding shortlist, the writing quality and important storyline, filled with subtlety and nuance tipped Out Of Shadows over the edge to become the 2011 winner.
Congratulations to both Jason Wallace and Charlie Sheppard. I'm sure we are all looking forward to seeing more of their work in the very near future.

http://www.branfordboaseaward.org.uk/BBA/bbastart.html

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