The longlist for the 2019 Klaus Flugge Prize is announced today (Tuesday 12 February 2019). Established in 2016, the Klaus Flugge Prize is awarded to the most promising and exciting newcomer to children’s book picture book illustration. It honours publisher Klaus Flugge, founder of publisher Andersen Press and a supremely influential figure in picture books.

For the second year running more than fifty books were submitted; twenty have made the longlist. Lincoln Books have three titles in contention, all books published under their new Lincoln First Editions imprint which was set up in 2017 specifically to highlight and develop new illustrators. In all sixteen different publishers are on the longlist including last year’s winners Barrington Stoke, and first timers LOM Art (Michael O’Mara).

The judges for the 2019 prize are award-winning illustrator and former Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Anthony Browne; Derek Brazell, of the Association of Illustrators; Seven Stories bookseller Billiejo Carlisle; Farrah Serroukh, Learning Programme Leader at CLPE (Centre for Literary in Primary Education); and last year’s winner Kate Milner. The panel will be chaired by Julia Eccleshare, director of the children’s programme of the Hay Festival.

Julia Eccleshare said: “We are delighted that the Klaus Flugge Prize continues to attract more and more entries and feel that our longlist is very strong. The books on it reflect the huge and changing range of subjects, themes and concepts that can be explored through picture books. On this list, children will find books that reflect their own lives back to them, or take them to worlds less ordinary; there are books that explore complex feelings or allow readers to work through their fears; and then there those that will make them laugh out loud. Once again the list of illustrators is international, proof that illustration is a universal language.”

The 2019 Klaus Flugge Prize longlist in full:

The Long Island, Drew Beckmeyer, editor Taylor Norman, designer Kristine Brogno (Chronicle Books)
Mini Rabbit Not Lost, John Bond, editor Alice Blacker, designer Goldy Broad (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
The Extraordinary Gardner, Sam Boughton, edited by Holly Tonks, designer Ness Wood (Tate)
Looking After William, Eve Coy, editor Libby Hamilton, designer Rebecca Garrill (Andersen Press)
The Ink House, Rory Dobner, editor Jo Lightfoot and Katherine Pitt, designer Mariana Sameiro, (Laurence King)
Cycle City, Alison Farrell, editor Taylor Norman, designer Ryan Hayes (Chronicle Books)
Erik the Lone Wolf, Sarah Finan, editor Jenny Broom, designer Zoë Tucker (Lincoln Children’s Books)
The King Who Banned the Dark, Emily Haworth-Booth, editor Neil Dunnicliffe, designer Lee-May Lim (Pavilion Children’s Books)
Maybe the Moon, Frances Ives, editor Jocelyn Norbury, designer Jack Clucas (LOM Art)
I Can Fly, Fifi Kuo, editor Leilani Sparrow, designer David Bennett (Boxer Books)
Julian is a Mermaid, Jessica Love, editor Tanya Rosie, art director Deirdre McDermott (Walker Books)
Say Hi to Hedgehogs, Jane McGuiness, editor Becky Watson, designer Beth Aves (Walker Books)
You’re Safe with Me, Poonam Mistry, written by Chitra Soundar, editor Alice Curry (Lantana Publishing)
The Red Dread, Tom Morgan-Jones, editor Emma Hargarve, designer Julie-Ann Murray (Barrington Stoke)
The Story of Tantrum O’Furrily, Mark Nicholas, written by Cressida Cowell, editor Anne McNeil (Hodder Children’s Books)
The Buildings that Made London, Josie Shenoy, editor Saskia Gwinn, designer Sophie Gordon (Bloomsbury)
I Love You Bunny, Alina Surnaite, editor Katie Cotto, designer Mike Jolley and Karissa Santos (Lincoln Children’s Books)
The Wardrobe Monster, Bryony Thomson, editor Ruth Huddleston, designer Mike Jolley (Old Barn Books)
Red and the City, Marie Voigt, editor Peter Marley, designer Kate Adams (Oxford)
The Best Sound in the World, Cindy Wume, editor Katie Cotton, designer Zoë Tucker (Lincoln Children’s Books)

The shortlist will be announced on 15 May 2019 live at a special evening event at Foyles Charing Cross Road and the winner will be revealed on 11 September 2019.

For more information, interview requests and images contact Andrea Reece
andrea.reece@zen.co.uk
020 8889 1292/ 07807893369