Letterbox Library teams up with the Alliance of Radical Booksellers for the Little Rebels Children's Book Awards 2014

The Alliance of Radical Booksellers (ARB) is delighted to announce that the Little Rebels Children’s Book Award for radical children’s fiction is back for its 2nd year. The award is given by the Alliance of Radical Booksellers (ARB) and is administered by specialist children’s booksellers, Letterbox Library. The closing date for nominations is January 13th 2014.

This year, Kim Reynolds will be joining the Little Rebels guest judges. Speaking about the award, Kim Reynolds said, “Little Rebels is the most recent manifestation of an honourable but for the most part over-looked tradition in children’s publishing that uses stories to celebrate human rights, equality, diversity, and efforts to transform society in ways that are inclusive and sustainable…Often transforming society requires bold thinking and bold action, and so this prize focuses on books that help readers become the kind of ‘little rebels’ who one day will catalyse social change rather than carrying on in the same old ways regardless of the costs and consequences”.

Kim Reynolds is the author of the award-winning Radical Children’s Literature (Palgrave MacMillan: 2010). She is a Professor of Children’s Literature at Newcastle University and is the former President of the International Research Society for Children’s Literature. She will be joined by the 2012 Little Rebels guest judges: award-winning children’s author, Elizabeth Laird and Bookstart co-founder, editor and Eleanor Farjeon Award recipient (2006), Wendy Cooling.

The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award is a sister award to Bread & Roses, which recognises radical adult non-fiction published in the UK. Both awards are the inspiration of the Alliance of Radical Booksellers, a network of radical booksellers in the UK. Both prizes will be presented at the 2nd London Radical Bookfair on Saturday May 10th 2014, Bishopsgate Institute, London.

The 2012 Little Rebels Winner was Sarah Garland for her Amnesty-endorsed graphic novel, Azzi In Between (Frances Lincoln). Other shortlisted titles were Hans and Matilda by Yokococo (Templar/Bonnier), Wild Child by Jeanne Willis (author) and Lorna Freytag (ill.) (Walker) and The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket by John Boyne (Random House UK: 2012).

The Little Rebels award will be administered by the 30 year old, not-for-profit, children’s booksellers, Letterbox Library. Co-director, Fen Coles, said of the award, “We’re very proud of the success of Little Rebels so far and we look forward to seeing which ‘little rebels’ will be in the running for 2013.” Nik Gorecki of Housmans Bookshop and co-ordinator for the ARB said, “It’s great to see interest in the Little Rebels award growing and with the prize ceremony being the keynote event in a week-long radical politics programme at the Bishopsgate Institute we expect an even wider audience to become engaged this year”.

Publishers are being invited to submit children’s fiction for readers aged 0-12 which promote social justice and which were first published in 2013. Full submission guidelines can be found at www.littlerebelsaward.wordpress.com


About Letterbox Library
Letterbox Library is a 30-year-old, not-for-profit, children’s booksellers and social enterprise. They specialise in children’s books which celebrate diversity, equality & inclusion. Further information can be found at www.letterboxlibrary.com

About the Alliance of Radical Booksellers (ARB)
The ARB is a supportive community for the UK’s radical booksellers; www.radicalbooksellers.co.uk. Members of the ARB include Housmans Bookshop, Gay’s The Word, News from Nowhere, Freedom Bookshop and Letterbox Library. The ARB runs the Bread & Roses Award for Radical Publishing, administered by Housmans Bookshop. This independent prize for adult non-fiction ran for the first time in 2011. For more information go to www.bread-and-roses.co.uk .

About the Little Rebels Children’s Book Award
Full details of the award, including the shortlist and prize giving ceremony for the previous year, can be found at: www.littlerebelsaward.wordpress.com .

About the London Radical Bookfair
Hosted by the ARB, this fair was run for the first time on May 11th 2013. The fair included 50 book stalls and 20 guest speakers- full details at: www.londonradicalbookfair.com .

Significant dates
The closing date for nominations for the Little Rebels Award is Jan 13th 2014; the shortlist will be announced in April 2014; the winner will be announced at the ARB’s London Radical Bookfair on Saturday May 10th 2014.