Amazon and the National Literacy Trust to support the Prize in memory of Oscar Ashton
Claudia Winkleman will be joining the panel of judges for Oscar’s Book Prize, the children’s book award set up in memory of Oscar Ashton, the son of Evening Standard columnist James Ashton.
Oscar passed away in 2012 at the age of three from an undetected heart condition, and the £5,000 award, for the best book published in 2016 for children aged five or under, pays tribute to Oscar’s love of stories. This year, Amazon and The National Literacy Trust are adding their support to the prize.
Claudia Winkleman said: “I can’t wait to read all the entries. I can still remember sitting on my parents’ lap while they read to me, loving their accents and squealing ‘more’ when they finished. My mum kept every book and I read them to my children.”
Winkleman will be joined by two other new judges this year: Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of the 2015 memoir The Last Act of Love, and Dan Mucha, Director of Books at Amazon. As in previous years, Oscar’s parents, James Ashton and Viveka Alvestrand will also be on the panel.
Rentzenbrink said: “My son Matt is seven, about the same age that Oscar would be now. When I explained to him why I was judging this prize, he thought it was very sad that Oscar had died and that it was brilliant that his parents had wanted to do this for him…”
The prize is being supported as part of the Amazon in the Community programme, which aims to help children and young people thrive in the digital world, including equipping them with literacy skills.
Dan Mucha, Books Director, Amazon.co.uk said: “Amazon started life as a bookseller, and we are passionate about helping more children discover the joy of reading. It’s a privilege to support Oscar’s Book Prize, a competition which puts the love of stories above all else and encourages parents to read to their children from a young age.”
Jonathan Douglas, Director of the National Literacy Trust said: “We are delighted to be supporting Oscar’s Book Prize. It’s never too soon for parents to start reading with their young children, which will allow them to develop the vital language skills that will set them up for future success…’
Oscar’s Book Prize was set up in partnership with the Evening Standard three years ago. The prize has previously been won by Benji Davies for Storm Whale in 2014, by Steve Antony for The Queen’s Hat in 2015 and last year by Gemma Merino for The Cow Who Climbed a Tree.
“Oscar’s Book Prize is now a significant event in the publishing calendar and we are delighted to continue our partnership,” said Evening Standard editor Sarah Sands. “It is for the pleasure of all children and in particular remembering a little boy who loved to read – Oscar.”
Publishers are invited to submit entries for the 2017 prize by the 3rd of March. The winner will be announced at a London-based event in May. For more information please visit oscarsbookprize.co.uk.