The KPMG Children's Books Ireland Awards, previously known as the CBI Book of the Year Awards () and the Bisto Book of the Year Awards, are literary awards presented annually in the Republic of Ireland to writers and illustrators of books for children and young people. The Awards are run by Children's Books Ireland (CBI) and are open to authors and illustrators born or resident in Ireland; books may be written in English or Irish. Many bestselling, internationally renowned authors have won a "Bisto", including Eoin Colfer, John Boyne and several times winner Kate Thompson.
The awards were sponsored by Bisto (Premier Foods) from their inception.
First awarded in 1990 (with the Book of the Decade Awards), there are currently seven prizes awarded:
Previously the winner of Book of the Year won a perpetual trophy and â¬10,000; the 3 winners of the Merit Awards (the Honour Award for Illustration, the Honour Award for Writing, the Judges' Special Recognition Award) shared a combined prize fund of â¬6,000; the EilÃÂs Dillon Award winner for first time writers also won a trophy and â¬3,000. Currently there is a â¬6,000 prize for the ChildrenâÂÂs Book of the Year and a â¬2,000 prize each for the Honour Award for Fiction, the Honour Award for Illustration, the EilÃÂs Dillon Award, The Judges' Special Award, and The Junior Juries' Award.
In 2010, the Children's Choice award was introduced to mark the 20th anniversary of the Bisto Book of the Year Awards. It was chosen by 10 Junior Juries from all around Ireland, and was awarded to Jane Mitchell's Chalkline. The Judges' Special Recognition Award was not awarded in 2010.
Source: Children's Books Ireland
Fiction: Run with the Wind; Run to Earth; Run Swift; Run Free by Tom McCaughren, Jeanette Dunne (Wolfhound Press)
Information Books: Exploring the Book of Kells: Brendan the Navigator by George Otto Simms, David Rooney (O'Brien Press)
Books for Young Readers: Grandma's Bill by Martin Waddell, illus. Jane Johnson (Simon & Schuster)
Irish Language: An Chanáil by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, transl. Bernadine Nic Ghiolla Phádraig An Gúm