David Baddiel is one of the winners of the inaugural Laugh Out Loud Awards, known as “The Lollies”. These awards were created by Scholastic, the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books, to celebrate the funniest children’s books. The full results have just been announced and Baddiel and illustrator Jim Field won Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 9-13 year olds for their book The Parent Agency.
The prize was set up by Scholastic in response to the demise of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the publisher’s own Kids & Family Reading Report survey which revealed that nearly two thirds of children aged 6-17 said that when choosing books to read for fun, they most enjoy “books that make me laugh.”
The winners were selected from a shortlist drawn up by a panel of judges, which included head judge, Michael Rosen, Jenny Eclair, film producer Will Clarke, and Amy Lee, aka Amy Lee33 the Minecraft gamer and YouTube sensation. Danger is Still Everywhere: Beware of the Dog by comedian David O’Doherty and Chris Judge was nominated in the 9-13 year olds category.
Schools were then encouraged to get involved, and hundreds of classes read and discussed the books and cast their vote for their favourites in each category to determine the winning titles. With a wealth of UK writing and illustrating talent on display, including Slug Needs Hug by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross, The Jolley-Rogers and the Cave of Doom by Jonny Duddle and Danger is Still Everywhere: Beware of the Dog by David O’Doherty and Chris Judge, children were spoilt for choice and the voting was very close.
The winners were presented with a trophy and prize money of £2500 at an awards ceremony in London, hosted by CBBC presenters Sam and Mark. The winners were announced onstage by Michael Rosen.
Nominees and winners below:
Best Laugh Out Loud Picture Book
Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise by Sean Taylor and Jean Jullien
Slug Needs a Hug by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross
Gracie Grabbit and the Tiger by Helen Stephens
Winner: I Need a Wee! by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet
Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 6-8 year olds
Winner: Badly Drawn Beth by Jem Packer and Duncan McCoshan
Wilf the Mighty Worrier: Saves the World by Georgia Pritchett and Jamie Littler
The Jolley-Rogers and the Cave of Doom by Jonny Duddle
Thorfinn the Nicest Viking and the Awful Invasion by David MacPhail and Richard Morgan
Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 9-13 year olds.
Danger is Still Everywhere: Beware of the Dog by David O’Doherty and Chris Judge
Petunia Perry and the Curse of the Ugly Pigeon by Pamela Butchart and Gemma Correll
Emily Sparkes and the Friendship Fiasco by Ruth Fitzgerald
Winner: The Parent Agency by David Baddiel and Jim Field
