Shark in the Park wins over children
Nearly 500 Perth and Kinross pupils voted in the very first Bookbug Picture Book Prize to find the best read for under sevens.
And the winner is a familiar name, award-winning children’s author and illustrator Nick Sharratt.
His endearing book ‘Shark in the Park on a Windy Day’ came top of the nation-wide poll that saw 448 little ones from the Big County give an opinion.
Published by Picture Corgi, Sharratt’s third book in the bestselling Shark in the Park series beat off stiff competition.
Nick’s toothy tale won him £3,000 and the coveted Bookbug Picture Book Prize trophy.
As well as producing around sixty of his own books, Nick Sharratt has previously worked with numerous writers including Julia Donaldson, Michael Rosen and Giles Andreae.
His most famous collaboration is with Jacqueline Wilson, for whom he has illustrated more than forty fiction titles.
Commenting on winning Bookbug’s picture book prize, Nick said: “I feel fin’tastic! I am absolutely delighted.
“The way the award is administrated means a huge number of children get a great opportunity to experience new books, enjoy loads of related activities and be at the heart of the voting process. I think it’s terrific that it’s children who are the decision makers with this prize.
“I’ve had the pleasure of going into scores of Scottish schools, nurseries and libraries to work with hundreds of children over the past few years, so the fact that the voting was decided upon by the country’s young readers makes the prize all the more special.”
Nick’s top title will be included with works by the two other finalists (‘There’s a Bear on My Chair’ by Ross Collins and ‘Hare and Tortoise, The Favourite Aesop’s Fable’ by Alison Murray) in the bag given away to P1 children as part of Scottish Book Trust’s Bookbug project. Nick Sharratt and young fan Aoife (3) read Shark in the Park on a Windy Day. Nick’s book won the first Bookbug Picture Book Prize. Pic: Jonathan Leyspace