Sally Nicholls and Salvatore Rubbino win the IBW children's book awards – newsflash

Salvatore Rubbino and Sally Nicholls scoop this year’s children’s awards.

In advance of a whole week celebrating independent bookshops which starts tomorrow we are announcing the winners of the IBW children’s fiction and children’s picture book awards for 2015.

Illustrator and author Salvatore Rubbino emerged victorious in the children’s picture book category with his beautiful book A Walk in Paris, published by Walker Books. “It’s lovely to receive this award and to be part of a campaign that celebrates independent bookshops!” said Salvatore Rubbino. “I always feel at home in an independent bookshop, it’s where I go to feel nourished with ideas and new picture books. Hurrah for the ‘independents’ they give the high street its soul!”

You can find out more about A Walk in Paris and learn how to draw the Mona Lisa in this lovely lesson by Salvatore Rubbino on the Guardian children’s books site tomorrow!

Salvatore Rubbino, author and illustrator of the award-winning A Walk in Paris. Photograph: Walker Books

Related: Independent Bookshop Week book awards 2015 shortlist announced

Sally Nicholls also fought off some heavy-weight competition with An Island of Our Own which has scooped the IBW children’s fiction award 2015, fighting off heavyweights including David Almond, Jacqueline Wilson and Kate Saunders. “With such a strong short list, full of books by authors whose work I really admire, I didn’t think I stood a chance!” said Sally. “I have such a lot of respect for independent booksellers, most of whom work long hours for little reward, and do so out of a deep love and commitment to bookselling.” More from Sally tomorrow in an interview on the Guardian children’s books site to celebrate her win.

Sally Nicholls: I was a bit worried because An Island of Our Own is basically a funny family adventure story about the kindness of strangers, and I was afraid people might find it slight in comparison. So it’s wonderful to hear that people have liked and understood it. Photograph: PR

Congratulations to all the shortlisted authors (read the full list here) for the IBW children’s fiction and children’s picture book awards – and particularly to the two winners.

We would like to wish everyone a fabulous Independent Bookshop Week – and you will find the very beautiful and helpful IBW 2015 free supplement in The Guardian newspaper tomorrow (Saturday 20 June) – with loads of great book recommendations, so don’t miss it!

• Also check out this fabulous competition sponsored by National Book Tokens – you could win £5000 book tokens for your school library by entering!