Phil Earle wins Children's Fiction award at Books Are My Bag Readers Awards 2021

We are delighted to announce that Phil Earle has won the Children's Fiction prize at the Books Are My Bag Awards 2021 for his book When the Sky Falls (Andersen). When the Sky Falls was the Waterstones Childrens Book of the Month in June 2021, and is inspired by a true story. It is a nerve-shreddingly tense thriller set during the Second World War and follows Joseph, who is charged with protecting Adonis the gorilla in the rundown city zoo as bombs begin to fall.

The winners of the Books are My Bag Awards were announced at a ceremony hosted by Claudia Winkleman at Foyles Charing Cross Road, the store's first in-person event since the pandemic, and was sponsored by National Book Tokens.

The Books Are My Bag Readers Awards, now in their sixth year, are the only book awards with a shortlist curated by booksellers, and winners voted for by readers. The shortlist judging panel comprised Nessa Urquhart of Waterstones, Elaine Stabler from Blackwell’s, Jude Brosnan of Stanfords, Annie Rhodes from Norfolk Children’s Book Centre, Amanda Truman of Truman Books, James Firth from The Stripey Badger and Tony West of The Alligator’s Mouth.

National Book Tokens is the headline sponsor of the Books Are My Bag Readers Awards, which are part of Books Are My Bag, the annual campaign highlighting the pleasure and importance of buying books in local bookshops.