The Costa Book Awards for 2017 have just been announced, and our congratulations go to Katherine Rundell who scoops the Children’s Book category prize with her book The Explorer.
The novel focuses on Fred, who has always dreamed of becoming an explorer, and his three friends, who find themselves lost in the Amazon rainforest after their plane crashes. The group has no supplies and has to work together to survive and find a way out, helped along by the discovery that suggests they are not the first to be stranded here.
Rundell knew that she wanted to write a book on the Amazon, which led her and her then-partner to fly out and be taken into the rainforest by a guide; they were shown various survival techniques, and it was a moment of feeling completely lost that led Rundell to the central idea of her story. Her book doesn’t just deal with themes of survival and nature, but also with themes of hope and bravery.
Awarding her the prize, the judges stated that The Explorer is “A glorious read and a timeless voyage of wonder that will be enjoyed by readers aged 8 to 80.” Rundell tweeted out about her win, saying: “I’m so stunned and thrilled and wildly honoured that The Explorer has won the Costa Children’s Book Award. It was a superb shortlist and I know it will have been the closest of close calls.”
Rundell and all the other category winners will now be considered for the overall Costa Book Award 2016, with the winner being announced on Tuesday 20th January 2018.
For more information head over to the Costa Book Awards website here www.costa.co.uk/costa-book-awards.
