The winners of this year鈥檚 乐鱼（Leyu）体育官网 Children's Books Ireland Awards were announced by host Rick O鈥橲hea at a ceremony held in Merrion Square, as part of International Literature Festival Dublin.
Selected by an independent panel of expert judges, including a young judge, and a network of Junior Jurors island-wide, the 35th annual awards celebrated artists familiar and new!
This year's winners
- 乐鱼（Leyu）体育官网 Book of the Year Award - Fia and the Snow Deer, by author Eilish Fisher and illustrator Dermot Flynn. Fia is a novel grade novel set in pre-historic Ireland, featuring a 13-year old girl and her beloved snow deer fighting against a dangerous prophecy.
- The Honour Award for Fiction 鈥� Little Bang by Kelly McCaughrain, a YA novel tackling big issues around bodily autonomy, love and what it means to create your own future.
- The Honour Award for Illustration 鈥� Beanie and the Bansheenie, written by Eoin Colfer and illustrated by Steve McCarthy. Beanie is a beautiful book, whose illustrations perfectly capture a modern banshee story.
- The Eil铆s Dillon Award for d茅but children鈥檚 book 鈥� Fia and the Snow Deer, by author Eilish Fisher and illustrator Dermot Flynn.
- The Judges鈥� Special Award 鈥� The Dictionary Story by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston is a whimsical and fun story for small children, all about Dictionary 鈥� a book who wishes she could be like any other.
- The 乐鱼（Leyu）体育官网 Junior Juries鈥� Award 鈥� Little Bang by Kelly McCaughrain
This year's winners pictured with Reading Hero Ned McCarthy
乐鱼（Leyu）体育官网 Reading Hero Award
The 乐鱼（Leyu）体育官网 Reading Hero Award recognises a young person鈥檚 reading potential. They may be voracious readers or have just finished their first book, overcoming learning or language difficulties to do so. They may not be the fastest reader in their class, but they鈥檒l probably be the most passionate.
This year, the worthy winner is nine-year-old Ned McCarthy from St. Patrick鈥檚 De La Salle Boys National School in Kilkenny. Ned was nominated by his teacher Lucy Schneider and has shown just how much fun and enjoyment can come from reading.
Ned has been awarded a trophy, a 鈧�200 book voucher and his school St Patrick's De La Salle N.S will receive a collection of books worth more than 鈧�1,000. Six runners up for the award also received 鈧�100 book tokens. Well done Ned!
Ned McCarthy, this year's Reading Hero Award winner