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Nestlé Smarties Book Prize

The Nestlé Children's Book Prize, also known as the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize, was an annual award given to children's books written in the previous year by a UK citizen or resident. The prize was administered by Booktrust, an independent charity which promotes books and reading, and sponsored by Nestlé, manufacturer of Smarties. It was one of the most respected and prestigious prizes for children's literature.

The prize was discontinued in 2008 by what was described as a "mutual" decision from Booktrust and Nestlé, with "no hostility". Explaining their reasons for this decision, Booktrust stated it had "been reviewing the organisation's priorities and how prizes and awards fit in with its strategic objectives", while Nestlé was "increasingly moving its community support towards the company strategy of nutrition, health and wellness." Additionally, they said that it was a "natural time to conclude" and that were "confident that increased importance has been placed on children's books."

The shortlist for the award was chosen by a panel of adult judges, and schoolchildren across the UK would then vote on the first, second and third place winners.

List of prize winners

2007

Gold Award

9-11 years category: Shadow Forest by Matt Haig (Bodley Head)
6-8 years category: Ottoline and the Yellow Cat by Chris Riddell (Macmillan Children's Books)
0-5 years category: When a Monster is Born by Sean Taylor and Nick Sharratt (Orchard Books)

Silver Award

9-11 years category: Catcall by Linda Newbery (Orion Children's Books)
6-8 years category: Ivan the Terrible by Anne Fine (Egmont Press)
0-5 years category: Penguin by Polly Dunbar (Walker Books)

Bronze Award

9-11 years category: Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve (Scholastic Children's Books)
6-8 years category: Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears by Emily Gravett (Macmillan Children's Books)
0-5 years category: Dexter Bexley and the Big Blue Beastie by Joel Stewart (Doubleday)

2006

Gold Award

9-11 years category: The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding (Egmont Press)
6-8 years category: Mouse Noses on Toast by Daren King (Faber and Faber)
0-5 years category: That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown by Cressida Cowell & Neal Layton (Orchard Books)

Silver Award

9-11 years category: The Tide Knot by Helen Dunmore (HarperCollins)
6-8 years category: Hugo Pepper by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell (Doubleday)
0-5 years category: The Emperor of Absurdia by Chris Riddell (Macmillan)

Bronze Award

9-11 years category: The Pig Who Saved the World by Paul Shipton (Puffin)
6-8 years category: The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon by Mini Grey (Jonathan Cape)
0-5 years category: Wibbly Pig's Silly Big Bear by Mick Inkpen (Hodder)

2005

Gold Award

9-11 years category: I, Coriander by Sally Gardner (Orion)
6-8 years category: The Whisperer by Nick Butterworth (HarperCollins)
0-5 years category: Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers (HarperCollins)

Silver Award

9-11 years category: The Scarecrow and his Servant by Philip Pullman (DoubleDay)
6-8 years category: Sad Book by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Quentin Blake (Walker Books)
0-5 years category: The Dancing Tiger by Malachy Doyle, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher (Simon and Schuster)

Bronze Award

9-11 years category: The Whispering Road by Livi Michael (Puffin)
6-8 years category: Corby Flood by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell (DoubleDay)
0-5 years category: Wolves by Emily Gravett (MacMillan)

2004

Gold Award

9-11 years category: Spilled Water by Sally Grindley (Bloomsbury Publishing)
6-8 years category: Fergus Crane by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell (Doubleday)
0-5 years category: Biscuit Bear by Mini Grey (Cape)

Silver Award

9-11 years category: The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotson (Macmillan)
6-8 years category: Cloud Busting by Malorie Blackman (Doubleday)
0-5 years category: My Big Brother Boris by Liz Pichon (Scholastic)

Bronze Award

9-11 years category: Keeper by Mal Peet (Walker)
6-8 years category: Smile! By Geraldine McCaughrean (OUP)
0-5 years category: Bartholomew and the Bug by Neal Layton (Hodder)

4Children Special Award: Fergus Crane by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell (Doubleday)

2003

Gold Award

9-11 years category: The Fire-Eaters by David Almond
6-8 years category: Varjak Paw by S. F. Said, illustrated by Dave McKean
0-5 years category: The Witch's Children and the Queen by Ursula Jones, illustrated by Russell Ayto

Silver Award

9-11 years category: Montmorency Series by Eleanor Updale
6-8 years category: The Last Castaways by Harry Horse
0-5 years category: Tadpole's Promise by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Tony Ross

Bronze Award

9-11 years category: The Various by Steve Augarde
6-8 years category: The Countess's Calamity by Sally Gardner
0-5 years category: Two Frogs by Chris Wormell

Kids' Club Award: The Countess's Calamity by Sally Gardner

2002

Gold Award

9-11 years category: Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve (Scholastic)
6-8 years category: That Pesky Rat by Lauren Child (Orchard Books)
0-5 years category: Jazzy in the Jungle by Lucy Cousins (Walker Books)

Silver Award

9-11 years category: Cold Tom by Sally Prue (Oxford University Press)
6-8 years category: Pirate Diary by Richard Platt, illustrated by Chris Riddell (Walker Books)
0-5 years category: Pizza Kittens by Charlotte Voake (Walker Books)

Bronze Award

9-11 years category: Stop the Train by Geraldine McCaughrean (Oxford University Press)
6-8 years category: The Last Wolf by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Michael Foreman (Doubleday)
0-5 years category: Oscar and Arabella by Neal Layton (Hodder)

Kids' Club Network Special Award: That Pesky Rat by Lauren Child (Orchard Books)

2001

Gold Award

9-11 years category: Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson (Macmillan)
6-8 years category: The Shrimp by Emily Smith (Young Corgi)
0-5 years category: Chimp and Zee by Catherine and Laurence Anholt (Frances Lincoln)

Silver Award

9-11 years category: The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray by Chris Wooding (Scholastic)
6-8 years category: Ug by Raymond Briggs (by Cape)
0-5 years category: Kipper's A to Z by Mick Inkpen (Hodder)

Bronze Award

9-11 years category: The Kite Rider by Geraldine McCaughrean (Oxford University Press)
6-8 years category: What Planet Are You From Clarice Bean? by Lauren Child (Orchard Books)
0-5 years category: Five Little Friends by Sarah Dyer (Bloomsbury Publishing)

Kids' Club Network Special Award: What Planet Are You From Clarice Bean? by Lauren Child (Orchard Books)

2000

Gold Award

9-11 years category: The Wind Singer by William Nicholson (Mammoth)
6-8 years category: Lizzie Zipmouth by Jacqueline Wilson, illustrated by Nick Sharratt (Young Corgi)
0-5 years category: Max by Bob Graham (Walker Books)

Silver Award

9-11 years category: The Other Side of Truth by Beverley Naidoo (Puffin)
6-8 years category: The Red and White Spotted Handkerchief by Tony Mitton, illustrated by Peter Bailey (Scholastic)
0-5 years category: Me and My Cat by Satoshi Kitamura (Andersen)

Bronze Award

9-11 years category: The Seeing Stone by Kevin Crossley-Holland (Orion)
6-8 years category: Beware of the Storybook Wolves by Lauren Child (Hodder)
0-5 years category: Husherbye by John Burningham (Jonathan Cape)

Kids' Club Network Special Award: Lizzie Zipmouth by Jacqueline Wilson, illustrated by Nick Sharratt (Young Corgi)

1999

Gold Award

9-11 years category: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling (Bloomsbury Publishing)
6-8 years category: Snow White and the Seven Aliens by Laurence Anholt, illustrated by Arthur Robins (Orchard Books)
0-5 years category: The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler (Macmillan)

Silver Award

9-11 years category: Kit's Wilderness by David Almond (Hodder Children's Books)
6-8 years category: Astrid, the Au Pair from Outer Space by Emily Smith (Corgi)
0-5 years category: Buffy - An Adventure Story by Bob Graham (Walker Books)

Bronze Award

9-11 years category: Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison (Piccadilly Press)
6-8 years category: Clarice Bean That's Me by Lauren Child (Orchard Books)
0-5 years category: I Wish I Were a Dog by Lydia Monks (Methuen)

1998

Gold Award

9-11 years category: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling (Bloomsbury Publishing)
6-8 years category: Last of the Gold Diggers by Harry Horse (Puffin Books)
0-5 years category: Cowboy Baby by Sue Heap (Walker Books)

Silver Award

9-11 years category: Aquila by Andrew Norriss (Puffin Books)
6-8 years category: The Runner by Keith Gray (Mammoth Books)
0-5 years category: Come On Daisy by Jane Simmons (Orchard Books)

Bronze Award

9-11 years category: The Crowstarver by Dick King-Smith (Doubleday)
6-8 years category: The Green Ship by Quentin Blake (Jonathan Cape)
0-5 years category: Secret in the Mist by Margaret Nash (David & Charles)

1997

Gold Award

9-11 years category: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling (Bloomsbury Publishing)
6-8 years category: The Owl Tree by Jenny Nimmo, illustrated by Anthony Lewis (Walker Books)
0-5 years category: Ginger by Charlotte Voake (Walker Books)

Silver Award

9-11 years category: Clockwork or All Wound Up by Philip Pullman (Corgi Yearling)
6-8 years category: The Little Reindeer by Michael Foreman (Andersen Press)
0-5 years category: Leon and Bob by Simon James (Walker Books)

Bronze Award

9-11 years category: Fire, Bed, and Bone by Henrietta Branford (Walker Books)
6-8 years category: We Animals Would Like a Word With You by John Agard, illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura (Bodley Head)
0-5 years category: Fruits by Valerie Bloom, illustrated by David Axtell (Macmillan)

1996

Gold Award

9-11 years category: The Firework-Maker's Daughter by Philip Pullman, illustrated by Nick Harris (Corgi Yearling)
6-8 years category: The Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Christian Birmingham (Collins Children's Books)
0-5 years category: Oops! by Colin McNaughton (Andersen Press)

Silver Award

9-11 years category: Johnny and the Bomb by Terry Pratchett (Doubleday)
6-8 years category: Harry the Poisonous Centipede by Lynne Reid Banks, illustrated by Tony Ross (Collins Children's Books)
0-5 years category: The World is Full of Babies by Mick Manning and Brita Granström (Watts Books)

Bronze Award

9-11 years category: Plundering Paradise by Geraldine McCaughrean (Oxford University Press)
6-8 years category: All Because of Jackson by Dick King-Smith, illustrated by John Eastwood (Doubleday)
0-5 years category: Clown by Quentin Blake (Cape)

1995

9-11 category and overall winner: Double Act by Jacqueline Wilson (Doubleday)
6 - 8 years category winner: Thomas and the Tinners by Jill Paton Walsh (Macdonald Young Books)
0 - 5 years category winner: The Last Noo-Noo by Jill Murphy (Walker Books)

1994

9 - 11 category and overall winner: The Exiles at Home by Hilary McKay (Gollancz)
6 - 8 years category winner: Dimanche Diller by Henrietta Branford, illustrated by Lesley Harker (Young Lions)
0 - 5 years category winner: So Much by Trish Cooke, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (Walker Books)

1993

9 - 11 years category winner: Listen to the Dark by Maeve Henry (Heinemann)
6 - 8 category and overall winner: War Game by Michael Foreman (Pavilion)
0 - 5 years category winner: Hue Boy by Rita Phillips Mitchell (Gollancz)

1992

9 - 11 category and overall winner: The Great Elephant Chase by Gillian Cross (Oxford University Press)
0 - 5 years category winner: Nice Work, Little Wolf by Hilda Offen (Hamish Hamilton)
6 - 8 years category winner: The Story of the Creation by Jane Ray (Orchard Books)

1991

0 - 5 years category and overall winner: Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell and Helen Oxenbury (Walker Books)
6 - 8 years category winner: Josie Smith and Eileen by Magdalen Nabb (Collins)
9 - 11 years category winner: Krindledrax by Philip Ridley (Cape)

1990

9 - 11 years category and overall winner: Midnight Blue by Pauline Fisk (Lion)
0 - 5 years category winner: Six Dinner Sid by Inga Moore (Simon & Schuster)
6 - 8 years category winner: Esio Trot by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake (Cape)

1989

0 - 5 years category and overall winner: We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (Walker Books)
6 - 8 years category winner: Bill's New Frock by Anne Fine (Methuen)
9 - 11 years category winner: Blitzcat by Robert Westall (Macmillan)

1988

0 - 5 years category and overall winner: Can't You Sleep Little Bear? by Martin Waddell and Barbara Firth (Walker Books)
6 - 8 years category winner: Can it be True? by Susan Hill (Hamish Hamilton)
9 - 11 years category winner: Rushavenn Time by Theresa Whistler (Brixworth Primary School)

1987

9 - 11 years category and overall winner: A Thief in the Village by James Berry (Hamish Hamilton)
0 - 5 years category winner: The Angel and the Soldier Boy by Peter Collington (Methuen)
6 - 8 years category winner: Tangle and the Firesticks by Benedict Blathwayt (Julia MacRae)