Clara Kumagai’s inaugural YA novel, “Catfish Rolling”, has received the title of book of the year at the KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards. Set in contemporary Japan following a destructive earthquake and an enchanting realm abundant with mythological themes, the book examines identity, relationships, and mourning, as well as the moral implications of scientific research, exploitation, and capitalism. The book is published by Zephyr.
In collaboration with the International Literature Festival Dublin, various other prizes were distributed to authors and illustrators:
– Treacle Town, penned by Brian Conaghan (Andersen Press), received the honour award for fiction.
– The honour award for illustration went to Three Tasks for a Dragon, illustrated by PJ Lynch (Walker Books).
– The Eilís Dillon award for a premier children’s book was awarded to Wider Than the Sea, written by Serena Molloy (Hodder Children’s Books).
– The Hare-Shaped Hole, written by John Dougherty and illustrated by Thomas Docherty (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) clinched both the Judges’ special award and KPMG junior juries’ award.
The victors were chosen by an autonomous panel comprising two juvenile adjudicators, as well as a consortium of junior juries situated throughout Ireland. The panel explored an exceptional 158 books from writers and illustrators who were either born or currently reside in Ireland.
Elaina Ryan, the CEO of Children’s Books Ireland, remarked: “The award recipients this year demonstrate the exceptional quality and diversity of present-day Irish children’s literature. The impressive number of first-time winners and nominees is noteworthy – these awards give us the chance to commend both emerging and established creators and introduce them to their readers.
“It has been wonderful to witness the delight and enthusiasm these nominated books have ignited in over 12,700 young Irish readers through our junior-juries scheme. Today, before an enthralled crowd of 600 avid readers, we take great pride in acknowledging the skill and dedication of these remarkable writers and illustrators, whose contributions will undoubtedly be a crucial part of many young readers’ childhood experiences.”