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‘Good news for books and beetles’: child-focused adventure with important ecological message named outstanding debut novel for children 2017
· M.G. Leonard and editors Barry Cunningham and Rachel Leyshon of Chicken House win the 2017 BRANFORD BOASE AWARD for Beetle Boy
· M.G. Leonard ‘one of the best debut authors I’ve ever come across’ says Cunningham, editor who discovered J.K. Rowling
· Author’s fear of beetles turned into fascination during the course of her research
M.G. Leonard and her editors Barry Cunningham and Rachel Leyshon have won the 2017 Branford Boase Award given annually to the author and editor of the outstanding debut novel for children, for Beetle Boy published by Chicken House. Publisher Chicken House has now won the award a record four times.
Now in its seventeenth year the Branford Boase Award is awarded to the author - and uniquely, the editor – of the outstanding debut novel for children. Known as ‘the one to watch’, it is recognised as one of the most important awards in children’s books thanks to its impressive record in identifying authors with special talent at the start of their careers.
On a shortlist that reflects the current boom in original, inventive, well-written books for children aged 8 – 12 (‘middle grade’), M G Leonard’s thrilling adventure of a boy and his beetle, and the array of wonderfully villainous adults lined up against them, stood out for its humour, characters and plotting and because of Leonard’s special understanding of her young audience.
Beetle Boy fuses science and sleuthing. When Darkus’s dad goes missing a giant beetle called Baxter comes to his rescue, but can the two solve the mystery of his dad's disappearance, especially when links emerge to cruel Lucretia Cutter and her penchant for beetle jewellery?
The book is already an international bestseller with rights sold in more than 30 different countries and has thousands of young fans in the UK who love this rollicking adventure.
On winning the award Leonard said: ‘My heart is brimming over with joy and delight that Beetle Boy has won the Branford Boase Award. I would never have dreamed such a prestigious award was within my reach, because my literary beginnings were extremely humble. I wrestled unsuccessfully with the English language at school and didn't get to university until my late twenties, doing my first degree with the Open University. My route into higher education, writing and storytelling was provoked and inspired by my love of the theatre.
The language of entomology was new to me when I began writing Beetle Boy, and the vocabulary alien. I worked for the best part of a decade, researching coleoptera, writing and rewriting the story to introduce the reader to this new language without alienating them. I love my subject, I love my characters and I'm over the moon that the award will help put the book into the hands of more children. I hope the story will inspire children to go outside, turn over a stone, or look amongst the flowers and marvel at the wonder of the insect world.
I am particularly happy that this award is shared with my editors Barry Cunningham and Rachel Leyshon. Everyone who writes a book knows it is a team effort. My editors have taught me a great deal, and helped me to develop confidence in my writing. I am excited about our partnership and what stories we might bring into the world together in the future.’
Last year’s winner, Horatio Clare, a judge for the 2017 award said: ‘Beetle Boy is a wonderfully funny, energetic and involving story. It combines classic story-telling with a tremendous sense of fun and excitement. I expect children will be reading it with huge pleasure and interest for many years to come.’ He added, ‘This win is good news for books and beetles!’
Chair of the judges, children’s literature expert Julia Eccleshare said, ‘The UK children’s book market is booming, and our shortlist reflected all the new vigour and excitement in the market. M.G. Leonard is a classic storyteller, in the tradition of Roald Dahl or Dodie Smith, but an original voice. We predict that once again the Branford Boase Award judges have recognized an author who will be thrilling young readers for decades to come.’
The Branford Boase Award is the only award to recognise the role of the editor in nurturing new talent.
Winning editors Rachel Leyshon and Barry Cunningham said: ‘We were so lucky to find in Maya one of the best debut authors we’d ever come across – one who knew the story she wanted to write, and who was then so willing and able to beetle away on it, editorially speaking. We are thrilled that she has received this hugely important recognition of her talent and originality, and feel sure that this marks not just a celebration of one book, but also the launch of a famous career.’
M.G. (Maya) Leonard has a first-class honours degree in English Literature and an MA in Shakespeare Studies from Kings College London. She works as the Senior Digital Media Producer for the National Theatre, and previously worked at the Royal Opera House and Shakespeare’s Globe. Leonard spent her early career in the music industry running Setanta Records, an independent record label, and managing bands, most notably The Divine Comedy. After leaving the music industry, she trained as an actor, dabbling in directing and producing as well as performing, before deciding to write her stories down. She lives in Brighton with her partner and two sons.
Barry Cunningham has had an impressive career in publishing. After an English degree at Cambridge, he joined Penguin Books in 1977. As Children’s Marketing Director for Puffin, he worked with all the great names in children’s books including Roald Dahl and Spike Milligan. In 1984 he was promoted to the Penguin Board and became responsible for the marketing of all Penguin Books, a position he held until 1988, when he was headhunted by Random House. In 1994 he was approached by Bloomsbury to set up their first children’s book list. Not only was the new list a success, but Barry soon became one of the best known names in publishing after he signed up J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Barry left Bloomsbury at the height of its success and, in early 2000, decided to start his own publishing company Chicken House. He has now won the Branford Boase Award three times.
Rachel Leyshon grew up in Northern Ireland and South Wales. She read English at the University of Birmingham and at the Open University, and began her career in publishing in 1994, shortly after graduating. Her first job was at a literary agency, though she went on to work as an editor of adult fiction and non-fiction, notably at Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Orion, before finding her natural home in children’s books at the Chicken House. Her authors have been translated into many languages and shortlisted for multiple awards, including the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize.
The Branford Boase 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. Both Henrietta and Wendy died of cancer in 1999. The award is specifically to encourage new writers and to highlight the importance of the editor in nurturing new talent. It has an excellent record in identifying talented authors. Previous winners include Frances Hardinge, Meg Rosoff, Marcus Sedgwick, Mal Peet, Siobhan Dowd and Kevin Brooks.
This year the judges are Brenda Gardner, former children’s editor and founder of Piccadilly Press; Joanna Halpin, manager at Waterstones Trafalgar Square; Elizabeth McDonald, winner of the 2016 Public Librarian of the Year Award; and Horatio Clare, author of Aubrey and the Terrible Yoot, winner of the 2016 Branford Boase Award. The panel is chaired by Julia Eccleshare, children’s director of the Hay Festival.
The 2017 winners of the Award were announced on Wednesday 5 July at a ceremony at Walker Books in London. Frances Hardinge, who won the Branford Boase in 2006 and went on to win the Costa Book of the Year Award, presented M.G. Leonard with a cheque for £1,000 and both Maya and Barry Cunningham and Rachel Leyshon received a unique, hand-crafted silver-inlaid box.
For further information please contact Andrea Reece on 07807893369 or
Notes to Editors:
The annual Branford Boase Award celebrates the most promising book for seven year-olds and upwards written by a first-time novelist. It also highlights the importance of the editor in the development of new authors. The shortlisted authors may have published other books in another genre – e.g. poetry or a picture book – but eligibility for the prize requires that this is their first children’s novel.
As well as encouraging publishers to find and promote new writers, the Award sets out to alert readers of all ages to the work of interesting newcomers.
The complete list of titles on the 2017 shortlist are:
Cogheart by Peter Bunzl, edited by Rebecca Hill (Usborne)
We Are Giants by Amber Lee Dodd, edited by Niamh Mulvey (Quercus)
Little Bits of Sky by S.E. Durrant, edited by Kirsty Stansfield (Nosy Crow)
The Bubble Boy by Stewart Foster, edited by Rachel Mann (Simon and Schuster)
The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, edited by Rachel Leyshon (Chicken House)
Beetle Boy by M G Leonard, edited by Barry Cunningham and Rachel Leyshon (Chicken House)
Riverkeep by Martin Stewart edited by Shannon Cullen and Sharyn November (Penguin Random House)
The Branford Boase Award was set up in memory of the prize-winning author Henrietta Branford and Wendy Boase, editorial director and one of the founders of Walker Books. They worked together on a number of Henrietta’s novels, a partnership they greatly enjoyed. Both Henrietta and Wendy died of cancer in 1999.
Running alongside the Branford Boase Award, the Henrietta Branford Writing Competition encourages writing talent in under 18s. Prizes were presented at the ceremony to six children, winners of the competition.
The Award is the joint idea of Julia Eccleshare MBE and Anne Marley MBE. Julia is the director of the Hay Festival children’s programme. Anne was Head of Children’s, Youth & Schools Services for Hampshire Library & Information Service for many years and is now a director of Authors Aloud UK, an author booking agency. She has served on many children’s book award panels, including the CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Awards.
For more information about the award and the Henrietta Branford Writing Competition visit www.branfordboaseaward.org.uk .
Images are also available on
www.branfordboaseaward.org.uk/bbapress.html
Or contact Andrea Reece on 07807893369 or
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