Shortlist 2020
This year as part of our 40th anniversary celebrations and due to the number of highly-rated books for older readers, we decided to add an additional category to the shortlists.
For 2020 the categories were Books for Younger Children, Books for Younger Readers, Books for Confident Readers and Books for Older Readers, with three titles in each category. We created short films to showcase each book, including introductions from the authors and illustrators and responses from the children in the FCBG’s local groups. To watch each film click on the book title. Captions are available.
Books for Younger Children
Jazz Dog, written and illustrated by Marie Voigt, published by OUP
Matisse’s Magical Trail, written by Tim Hopgood and illustrated by Sam Boughton, published by OUP
The Runaway Pea, written by Kjartan Poskitt and illustrated by Alex Willmore, published by Simon & Schuster Children’s Books
Books for Younger Readers
Mutant Zombies Cursed My School Trip, written by Matt Brown and illustrated by Paco Sordo, published by Usborne
Owen and The Soldier, written by Lisa Thompson, published by Barrington Stoke
The Maker of Monsters, written by Lorraine Gregory, published by OUP
Books for Confident Readers
Wildspark, written by Vashti Hardy, published by Scholastic
A Pocketful of Stars, written by Aisha Bushby, published by Egmont
D-Day Dog, written by Tom Palmer, published by Barrington Stoke
Books for Older Readers
Becoming Dinah, written by Kit de Waal, published by Hachette Children’s Group
On The Come Up, written by Angie Thomas, published by Walker Books
Two Can Keep a Secret, written by Karen M McManus, published by Penguin
Video production and editing by Steph J Weller and AV Events. Captions by Vicky Berry.
Thanks to all the authors, publishers and book groups who contributed.