The winner of this year’s Alliance of Radical Booksellers (Little Rebels children’s book award for radical fiction is Gill Lewis for her book, Scarlet Ibis (published by OUP).
The winning title is all about the challenges facing young carers.
The book has been a hit here on the Guardian children’s books site as well. Site member and reviewer KatWinter told us, “Gill Lewis makes you feel as though you are there with Scarlet and Red, fighting their fights and feeling their pain” and Lilybelle wrote “I couldn’t stop reading it, and I was really upset to turn one of the last pages and find that the new chapter was in fact the epilogue”.
The Little Rebels judges were unanimous in their decision to award the prize to Gill Lewis. Judge Kim Reynolds said, “We all agreed that Scarlet Ibis stands out as a book that not only fulfils the criteria for the award but is also excellently crafted. Birds, especially the scarlet ibis, weave the book’s multiple storylines together and provide a moving backdrop for a story that celebrates the often overlooked courage, loyalty and competence of children. As Gill Lewis acknowledges, some children are already changing their worlds.”
Kerry Mason, from Letterbox Library (who administer the award) added, “From boys who take up knitting to peace loving forest birds to fighting fascism, this year’s shortlist entertained, tickled, provoked and rallied- but in the end, for all of our judges, Scarlet Ibis stood out for wrapping up very ‘live’, pressing, social concerns within skilled, gripping, storytelling.”
The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award winner was announced by Wendy Cooling, at the third London Radical Bookfair, given and organised by the Alliance of Radical Booksellers and administered by specialist children’s booksellers, Letterbox Library.
Congratulations to all the shortlisted books in this brilliant award for books promoting social justice.
