Branford Boase Award: Winner Announced 30th June 2006

Fly by Night has won the 2006 Branford Boase award which celebrates the most promising book for seven year-olds and upwards by a first-time novelist, and highlights the importance of the editor in nurturing new authors. Author Frances Hardinge and her editor at Macmillan, Ruth Alltines were both present to pick up their award in Central London on Thursday evening.

On hearing of her success Frances Hardinge said: "As a first-time author, even being placed on the short list for the Branford Boase was unimaginably exciting. Discovering that I have won it has left me with an acute sense of unreality."

Judges this year included Clive Barnes of Southampton Libraries, Geraldine Brennan of the TES, Sam Harrison of Waterstones and Meg Rosoff, last year’s winner for How I Live Now.

Over 48 debut novels were submitted for consideration this year, highlighting the eagerness of publishers to uncover new talent

Chair of judges Julia Eccleshare said, "A first novel is always exciting. Each brings the potential of a new voice, a new way of telling the story. The lure of children's books to so many new and talented authors and the current enthusiasm among editors to nurture them has given us a remarkable year for submissions ... Frances Hardinge is an excellent choice for this year’s Award.  Fly by Night is a beautifully written novel, set in a vividly imagined world. I am very much looking forward to seeing what she does next.” 

The Branford Boase Award was set up in memory of the outstanding children's writer Henrietta Branford and the gifted editor, Wendy Boase, Editorial Director of Walker Books. They worked together on a number of books, a partnership they greatly enjoyed.
They both died of cancer in 1999.

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