BOOK OF THE YEAR 


OVERVIEW Brand-name authors   shortlist, which is testament to a strong   From compulsively readable YA thrillers to gentler stories about the power of friendship and madcap adventures, there is something for every young book-lover, each title backed by impressive campaigns and retail 


THE LAST BEAR Hannah Gold’s début, illus- trated by Levi Pinfold, tells of a young girl, united in friendship with a lonely bear against the overwhelming threat of climate change. HarperCollins partnered with Collins Education to produce teaching resources for Key Stage 2 inspired by the novel’s timely themes as part of its campaign. It was the bestselling middle- grade hardback début of 2021.


ACE OF SPADES Usborne acquired this novel when Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé was 18, and has successfully established her with this high-octane thriller about institutionalised racism, making her the bestselling YA début author of 2021. Usborne worked with charities Free Books Campaign and the Diverse Books Campaign to donate copies to schools and youth offender venues.


PUBLISHERS


1 HARPERCOLLINS CHILDRENS BOOKS


2 USBORNE 3 PENGUIN


4 HARPERCOLLINS CHILDRENS BOOKS


5 LITTLE, BROWN BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS


6 ANDERSEN PRESS


THE CHRISTMAS PIG In her first children’s novel since Harry Potter, J K Rowling wanted to reach out to younger children (eight-plus) and families. Centred around a boy and his lost, most treas- ured toy, The Christmas Pig is a story that appeals to the child in us all. It topped the UK children’s chart in its first week of publication and remained there for three weeks. The title is illustrated by Jim Field.


19


YOU’LL BE THE DEATH OF ME Famous for her YA thrillers, Karen McManus has been dubbed the “queen of teen crime”. Penguin took to BookTok to continue growing her brand, primarily through a partnership with vlogger Jack Edwards. McManus’ sixth title saw a 66% increase in pre-orders on her previous novel and she was the secon- bestselling YA author of 2021.


MEGAMONSTER Containing all the hallmarks of David Walliams’ funny, surreal storytelling, this high-octane adventure—set on a mysterious island where the Cruel School sits atop a dormant volcano, and illustrated by Tony Ross—was the bestselling chil- dren’s book of 2021. A “mega” marketing campaign invited social media audiences to upload their own content using hashtag #MegamonsterBook.


WHEN THE SKY FALLS Phil Earle’s 20th book was his first for Andersen Press, and was its biggest-ever fiction title launch, helped by the author visiting more than 60 bookshops during publication month. This Second World War middle-grade story about a boy who lives in a zoo was highly praised: “Deeply felt, movingly written, a remarkable achieve- ment,” said Michael Morpurgo of the text.


1


3


6


4 2 5


© Debra Hurford Brown


© Joy Olugboyega


© Sarah Mason


© Kaitlyn Litchfield


© Charlie Clift


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56