2009 Educational Writers Award - Shortlist Highlights Inspiring Books for Young Learners of 5-11 Years

Books to Stretch Young Minds!

LONDON, December 1 - The Authors' Licensing & Collecting Society (ALCS) and the Society of
Authors today announced the shortlist for the 2009 Awards. The Award is made
annually for an outstanding example of traditionally published non-fiction
that enhances teaching and learning. The 2009 Award focuses on books for 5 -
11 year olds published in 2007 & 2008 and the shortlist includes:

    - The Gooey, Chewy, Rumble Plop Book Steve Alton & Nick Sharratt
      (Bodley Head)

    - How to Make Manga Characters Katy Coope (Collins Big Cat)

    - Chocolate - The Bean that Conquered the World Vivian French, ill. Paul
      Howard (Walker)

    - Tail-End Charlie Mick Manning & Brita Granström (Frances Lincoln)

    - Archie's War - My Scrapbook of the First World War Marcia Williams
      (Walker)

"Sixty-six books were entered this year - an excitingly diverse range of
titles, many highly illustrated and with imaginative skills very much to the
fore," says Paula Johnson of the Society of Authors. "All three judges were
looking for those books that had an added extra, taking an imaginative,
stimulating approach to the chosen topic to fire curiosity and enjoyment in
young readers."

ALCS and the Society of Authors created this award in 2008 to 'celebrate
educational writing that encourages students to read widely and build up
their understanding of a subject beyond the requirements of exam
specifications'. This is the only UK award that focuses on educational
non-fiction that enhances learning outside the essential curriculum. The
award is designed to encourage the publication of educational books that both
inspire learning and encourage creativity in young readers. To be eligible
the work must be single volume, non-fiction (with or without illustration) of
genuine merit for the specified age group. It must have been first published
in the UK in the English Language within the two previous calendar years.

"Educational writers represents 39% of the total number of writers we
distribute money to at ALCS," says ALCS's deputy CEO, Barbara Hayes. "Whilst
we pay out to all types of writers, educational writers are the largest
sector of the writing community amongst our membership. By sponsoring this
award we aim to raise awareness of the value added by a creative approach to
educational non-fiction and the contributions made by this group of writers."

The age range for the Award alternates each year, this year focussing on
books for 5-11 year olds. Last year's winner Ian Gilbert, who received the
award for 'The Little Book of Thunks' for the 12-18 age group, comments:
"This award meant a great deal to me - firstly as a public acknowledgement of
the work I'm doing with children and their thinking, and secondly whilst the
money was nice, the sense of confidence the award bestowed was the greater
and I am much indebted for that."

The winner of the 2009 award will be announced at the All Party Writers
Group (APWG) Christmas Reception at the House of Commons on 2nd December and
a cheque for GBP2,000 will be presented by Janet Anderson MP, Chair of the
APWG.

The 2009 judging panel included three educational experts: Ali Barne, a
former teacher who currently works as a primary language coach to develop
modern language teaching in the primary sector in Oxfordshire; Pamela
Girdwood, full-time librarian at Blue Gate Fields Junior School, Tower
Hamlets and Anthony Haynes, educational writer, director of the publishing
and educational services firm Professional & Higher Partnerships and visiting
professor at the Beijing Normal and Hiroshima Universities.

Detailed information on the five books on this year's shortlist can be
found on the attached sheet.

The forthcoming deadline for submission for the 2010 award for the 12-18
age group is 1st June 2010. For further details pleas see
www.societyofauthors.org

Ends/18/11/09

Editors Notes

Society of Authors

The Society of Authors has been serving the interests of professional
writers for more than a century. Today it has more than 8,800 members (from
novelists to doctors, textbook writers to ghost writers, broadcasters to
academics, illustrators to translators) writing in all areas of the
profession. Services include the confidential, individual vetting of
contracts, and help with professional disputes. In addition, the Society
holds meetings and seminars, publishes a quarterly journal, The Author, and
maintains a database of members' specializations. It administers a wide range
of prizes, as well as the Authors' Foundation, which is one of the very few
bodies making grants to help with work in progress for established writers.

2010 Educational Writers Award - please see
www.societyofauthors.org for further information.

ALCS

ALCS collects fees on behalf of the whole spectrum of UK writers:
novelists, film & TV script writers, literary prize winners, poets and
playwrights, freelance journalists, translators and adaptors, as well as
thousands of professional and academic writers who include nurses, lawyers,
teachers, scientists, and college lecturers. All writers are eligible to join
ALCS: further details on membership can be found at www.alcs.co.uk

The Society collects fees that are difficult, time-consuming or legally
impossible for writers and their representatives to claim on an individual
basis: money that is nonetheless due to them. Fees collected are distributed
to writers twice a year in March and September. Since its inception, ALCS has
distributed over GBP205 million to the nation's writers.

The All Party Parliamentary Writers Group (APWG)

APWG is a forum for elected Parliamentarians in Westminster to consider
and discuss matters of importance to writers. As a focal point for authors'
interests, with its links to UK writer organisations, APWG is well placed to
draw attention to the current issues facing writers amongst an audience of
decision-makers at Westminster and beyond.

For further information, author/illustrator interviews & copies of the shortlisted books please contact: (please do not publish these numbers). Becca Wyatt: +44-(0)1798-867-117; +44-(0)7801-061-420, ALCS, Alison Baxter: +44-(0)20-7264-5700. Society of Authors, Paula Johnson: +44-(0)20-7373-6642 (pjohnson at societyofauthors.org). Society of Authors: For further information contact info at societyofauthors.org. Contact information: ALCS, The Writers' House, 13 Haydon Street, London EC3N 1DB Tel: +44-(0)20-7264 5700; email alcs at alcs.co.uk. Website: www.alcs.co.uk