CJ Flood and her editor Venetia Gosling have won the 2014 Branford Boase award for Infinite Sky.
This annual award for the outstanding debut novel for children is in its 15th year, and has an incredibly successful record in picking out future stars.
Branford Boase award winners who have been later awarded the Carnegie medal (the most prestigious of the UK children's book prizes) include Meg Rosoff, Mal Peet, and Siobhan Dowd. Kevin Brooks, the most recent winner of the 2014 Carnegie Medal, won the Branford Boase award for his debut Martyn Pig in 2003.
Infinite Sky's moving storyline follows the friendship between Iris and the teenage son of Travellers who set up camp near the farmhouse where Iris lives with her father and brother. Their relationship intensifies but the presence of the Travellers and Iris's feelings for Trick lead to a shocking, tragic series of events.
Chair of the judges, children's literature expert and children's books editor of The Guardian Julia Eccleshare described Infinite Sky as "beautifully written, thought-provoking", and added that it "contains a depth of emotion that particularly impressed the judges."
The delighted author, CJ Flood, commented "It is a real boost to my confidence as I continue work on my next book, and I am very happy that my editor gets some much-deserved acknowledgment too."
The Branford Boase award is the only award to recognise the role of the editor in nurturing new talent. Winning editor Venetia Gosling said "When I read the manuscript I fell in love with Iris's voice. The writing was so beautiful and assured, it was immediately obvious that Chelsey was a real talent. It's a privilege – and responsibility – to be able to help launch the career of a writer you passionately believe in."
This evening the 2014 winners were presented awards by former children's laureate Dame Jacqueline Wilson OBE at a ceremony in London.
Six talented young winners of the 2014 Henrietta Branford writing competition also attended the award celebration party. Entrants had to compete a story begun by last year's winner Dave Shelton, author of A Boy and a Bear in a Boat. Massive congratulations to Megan Baffoe, Hannah Davies, Milan Gammanpila, Amy Jewell, Melodie Mangan, and Bethany Pearson!
The award was set up in memory of prize–winning author Henrietta Branford and Wendy Boase, editorial director and one of the founders of Walker Books.
The shortlist
Winter Damage by Natasha Carthew, edited by Rebecca McNally
Infinite Sky by CJ Flood, edited by Venetia Gosling
Wild Boy by Rob Lloyd Jones, edited by Mara Bergman
Red Ink by Julie Mayhew, edited by Emily Thomas
Alex, the Dog and the Unopenable Door by Ross Montgomery, edited by Rebecca Lee and Susila Baybars
The Poison Boy by Fletcher Moss, edited by Imogen Cooper and Barry Cunningham
Geek Girl by Holly Smale, edited by Lizzie Clifford
