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Rosie Rowell and her editor Emily Thomas have won the 2015 Branford Boase Award given annually to the author and editor of the outstanding debut novel for children, for
Leopold Blue published by Hot Key Books.
This is the 16 th year of the Branford Boase Award , which has an extremely successful record in picking out future stars. Previous winning and shortlisted writers include
Marcus Sedgwick, Philip Reeve, William Nicholson and Annabel Pitcher, as well as
Carnegie Medal winners Frank Cottrell Boyce, Siobhan Dowd, Mal Peet, Patrick Ness,
Meg Rosoff and Kevin Brooks.
Set in South Africa in 1993 in a small backwater town, Leopold Blue tells the story of fifteen year old Meg as her personal tribulations play out against a backdrop of political change. Meg feels stifled by Leopold, resents her mother whose efforts to raise awareness of Aids amongst the local farm workers have made the family outsiders, and is jealous too of her childhood friend Simon, son of the family’s black housekeeper and about to leave for university. A friendship with the new girl at school, the cool and sophisticated Xanthe, doesn’t bring the new possibilities it promises, but helps Meg see her world differently.
Chair of the j udges, children’s literature expert and children’s books editor of The
Guardian Julia Eccleshare said, “New children’s authors are flourishing in the UK as publishers invest in this growing market. This year’s Branford Boase shortlist was very strong indeed and a number of books on the list have already appeared on shortlists for other prestigious awards. However, in Leopold Blue the judges have found a work of originality, power and intelligence that seems surprisingly to have escaped the notice it

deserves. The characters and setting are brilliantly observed and described, and all readers will recognise something of themselves in Meg. The background gives it particular depth and it transcends the coming-of-age genre. We are delighted to name
Leopold Blue a s the outstanding debut of 2015.”
Rosie Rowell said, ‘Winning this wonderful award is an enormous honour. It is a confirmation that our stories matter. Everyday people, struggling in their own ways, whether they are stuck in dead-end tiny towns or trying to find their way in big cities are no less important than the heroes that dominate the news. We all have a story that is worth telling.'
The Branford Boase Award is the only award to recognise the role of the editor in nurturing new talent.
Winning editor Emily Thomas said, 'When I acquired Leopold Blue , my passion for the story and Rosie ’s seemingly effortless, evocative narrative was instant. To have that excitement shared by the judges on the only award of its kind, is a real boost for the editor as well as the author. It is a fantastic feeling, and I could not be prouder.'
Rosie Rowell was born and grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. After completing a BA degree in English and Economics at the University of Cape Town, Rosie arrived in the
UK on a short working holiday and never quite managed to leave. She now lives in in the wilds of West Sussex with her husband and three children, but returns to South Africa as often as the bank balance will allow. She has recently completed a MA in Creative and
Life Writing at Goldsmiths University of London. Hot Key Books published her second novel, Almost Grace in June 2015.
Emily Thomas began her career in publishing as secretary to Pam Royds at Andre
D eutsch Children’s Books. As one of only three staff in the team, she had the role of secretary, reader, contract manager, confidante and fan girl! Moving to Scholastic as assistant editor, then to Kingfisher for a few years in non-fiction , Emily’s career as a fiction editor started in earnest at Hodder Children’s Books where she worked on books for all ages and with authors such as Russell Hoban , Helen Cresswell , Celia Rees and
Sarra Manning . In 2011, she moved to be part of the founding team at Hot Key Books, where she published Dawn O’Porter , Matt Whyman and discovered Rosie Rowell. In
2014 Emily embarked on the exciting role as Publisher of adult non-fiction, launching
Blink Reality, a sister list to Bonnier’s growing adult non-fiction list, Blink.
The Branford Boase Award was set up in memory of prize-winning author Henrietta
Branford and Wendy Boase, editorial director and one of the founders of Walker Books.
Both Henrietta and Wendy died of cancer in 1999. The award is specifically to encourage new writers and to highlight the importance of the editor in nurturing new talent. It has an excellent record in identifying talented authors.
This year the judges are librarian and chair of Ibby UK Pam Dix ; Sue Jones , children’s books consultant; Clare Maltby , bookseller from P & G Wells in Winchester; and C. J.
(Chelsey) Flood , author of Infinite Sky , winner of the 2014 Branford Boase Award .
The panel is chaired by Julia Eccleshare MBE , children’s books editor of the Guardian .

The 2015 winners of the Award were announced on Thursday 9 July at a ceremony at
Walker Book s in London. Former Children’s Laureate Dame Jacqueline Wilson OBE presented Rosie Rowell with a cheque for £1,000 and both Rosie and Emily Thomas received a unique, hand-crafted silver-inlaid box.
For further information please contact Andrea Reece on 07807893369 or andrea.reece@zen.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
The annual Branford Boase Award celebrates the most promising book for seven yearolds and upwards written by a first-time novelist. It also highlights the importance of the editor in the development of new authors. The shortlisted authors may have published other books in another genre – e.g. poetry or a picture book – but eligibility for the prize requires that this is their first children’s novel.
As well as encouraging publishers to find and promote new writers, the Award sets out to alert readers of all ages to the work of interesting newcomers.
The other titles on the 2015 shortlist are:
Bone Jack by Sara Crowe, edited by Charlie Sheppard and Eloise Wilson (Andersen
Press)
The Year of the Rat by Clare Furniss, edited by Jane Griffiths (Simon & Schuster)
Cowgirl by Giancarlo Gemin, edited by Kirsty Stansfield (Nosy Crow)
Half Bad by Sally Green, edited by Ben Horslen (Puffin)
Trouble by Non Pratt, edited by Annalie Grainger & Denise Johnstone-Burt (Walker
Books)
The Dark Inside by Rupert Wallis, edited by Jane Griffiths (Simon & Schuster)
The Branford Boase Award was set up in memory of the prize-winning author Henrietta
Branford and Wendy Boase , editorial director and one of the founders of Walker
Books. They worked together on a number of Henrietta’s novels, a partnership they greatly enjoyed. Both Henrietta and Wendy died of cancer in 1999.
Running alongside the Branford Boase Award, the Henrietta Branford Writing
Competition encourages writing talent in under 18s. Jacqueline Wilson also presented prizes at the ceremony to six children, winners of the competition.
The Award is the joint idea of Julia Eccleshare MBE and Anne Marley MBE . Julia is the children’s books editor of The Guardian. Anne was Head of Children’s, Youth &
Schools Services for Hampshire Library & Information Service for many years and is now a partner in Authors Aloud UK, an author booking agency. She has served on many chi ldren’s book award panels, including the CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway
Awards .

For more information about the award and the Henrietta Branford Writing
Competition visit www.branfordboaseaward.org.uk
.
Images are also available on www.branfordboaseaward.org.uk/bbapress.html
Or contact Andrea Reece on 07807893369 or andrea.reece@zen.co.uk
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