Books / Awards
Bristol-based author and illustrator awarded £10,000 for children’s book
This year’s Oscar’s Book Prize has been awarded to a Bristol-based author and illustrator for their children’s picture book. The prize is awarded to celebrate the magic of stories for children.
Author Sean Taylor and illustrator Zehra Hicks’ new book, When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth, is about Smallasaurus, a plant-based dinosaur who ends up embarking on a big adventure.
The prestigious award is now in its eleventh year, after being set up by James Ashton and Viveka Alvestrand in memory of their three year-old son Oscar, who loved stories but sadly passed away due to an unrecognised heart condition.
On winning, Taylor said: “I’m honoured to receive this award and want to raise my hat to all on the shortlist – for the everyday creative wonders they do to keep bright-eyed reading alive.”
Hicks added: “It was an absolute delight to work with Sean on this story. It just jumped out at me and I knew immediately I had to work on it.
“I literally think I have the best job in the world! I am thrilled to have collaborated on this book, and thank you to Sean for inspiring me to bring Smallasaurus to life.”
Speaking to Bristol24/7, Taylor added: “The book is a piece of slapstick, really. A big dinosaur chases a small dinosaur. The big dinosaur falls off a cliff. A bad dinosaur accidentally bites the leg of an even worse dinosaur.”
Taylor credits his inspiration to silent film and the performers of the 1920s, as well as Bristol itself.
“My wife’s Brazilian, and we moved to Bristol after many years living in São Paulo, a city of 20 million people,” he said.
“Bristol’s smaller scale nurtures a sense of community. I find that nourishing. And the creativity and rebellious edge in the Bristol air are good for any artist to breathe.”
Main photo: Oscar’s Book Prize
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