Congratulations to Great Shefford author Geraldine McCaughrean who this week has won the prestigious Carnegie award (for the second time) and the Indie Bookshop Awards in the Children’s Category last week for her latest children’s book Where the World Ends. This gripping novel is based on a true story from 1727 of men and boys stranded on a St Kilda sea stac after their rescue boat fails to arrive. Surely nothing but the end of the world can explain why they’ve been abandoned – cold, starving and clinging to life, in the grip of a murderous ocean. How will they survive?
Geraldine McCaughrean has written over 160 children’s books and has been described as ‘one of the greatest living children’s authors’ by The Bookseller
Geraldine chose Hungerford Bookshop during Independent Bookshop week to celebrate her IBW win. “It’s fantastic to have such a renowned children’s writer on our doorstep, and lovely to mark her win during a week-long celebration of Independent Bookshops,” says Emma from the bookshop who has signed copies of the award-winning book on sale.
Here is a short video of the award presentation on Wednesday 29 June:
Nicola Chester, John O’Gaunt School Librarian, who attended the presentation, remarked “What a thrill it was for our students to meet with double-award winning author Geraldine McCaughrean, in our very own local bookshop, before her (renewed) fame goes international! What a scoop! We saw her receive her Independent Bookshop Children’s Book Award and chatted to her too – she was wonderfully funny, approachable and (unnecessarily) humble.
“Geraldine showed us her Carnegie Medal which positively glowed – and is rarer than an Olympic Gold Medal! We were also able to tell Geraldine how much she is loved by local school children – many John O’Gaunt students remember her school or Newbury Library visits fondly and have their favourites among her books. We are so fortunate to have a dynamic, Award-winning Bookshop on our doorstep too – it’s always an inspiring experience just to step in the door and our students love it.”
Click here for Geraldine’s interview on 4LEGS Radio (from 37:20) about her inspiration for the story, what the award means to her and the dangers of accidentally having a novel title similar to a very different genre of book…
Top photo: John O’Gaunt students Evie Chester, Rosie Chester (Inkpen Primary), Ceara Fowkes and Molly Rixon with Geraldine
