Ring of Solomon wins the Battle of the Kids’ Books!
After a gruelling tournament, lasting several weeks, The Ring of Solomon has come out as the winner of School Library Journal’s Battle of the Kids’ Books 2011! It won through four head-to-head ‘contests’ against other recent books to claim the crown. Each round was judged by a well-known US author. You can read the four separate judgements (and find out about the other 15 great titles) on the SLJ website here:
Round 1. Judge: Adam Rix
Round 2. Judge: Patricia Reilly Giff
Round 3. Judge: Karen Cushman
Round 4. Judge: Richard Peck
AWARD NOMINATION in Germany!
The Ring of Solomon has been nominated in the Fantasy/Science Fiction category of Der Leserpreis – die besten buecher 2010. Die Leserpreis is one of the biggest audience-nominated book awards in German-speaking countries. Ring of Solomon is one of 35 titles on the fantasy shortlist. All the books can be viewed – and voted for – at http://www.lovelybooks.de/leserpreis/2010/Fantasie-Science-Fiction/.
The winning book will be the one receiving the most votes by 10th December, so why not visit the site now and cast one for The Ring of Solomon! The results (Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards) will be announced on Monday 13th December.
Ring of Solomon shortlisted for Costa Award!
The Ring of Solomon is one of four books shortlisted for the prestigious Costa Children’s Book Award 2010. The shortlist was revealed on 16th November, and the winner will be announced in January 2011. Find out more at www.costabookawards.com
US Tour
Jonathan has just completed his US tour with The Ring of Solomon. Click here to visit his journal and read about the experience.
A new story for The Dragon Book
Jonathan has contributed a story, Bob Choi’s Last Job, to The Dragon Book, a collection of dragon short stories published by Anderson Press (UK) and Penguin (US) this November. You can download an excerpt from it at www.thedragonbook.co.uk.
Other big names who have stories in The Dragon Book include Garth Nix, Tad Williams, Tamora Pierce, Diana Wynne Jones, Sean Williams and Gregory Maguire.
Click here to pre-order from rbooks.co.uk and here to pre-order at amazon.co.uk.
The Ghost of Shadow Vale is here! Jonathan’s retelling of a spooky Icelandic hero tale is out now! For more information, click here. Heroes video trailer
Visit http://www.play.com/bookvideoawards to see Leevi Lemmetty’s stunning trailer for Heroes of the Valley!
Heroes of the Valley site up and running!
Jonathan’s new novel is Heroes of the Valley. Click here to visit its special site, complete with exclusive mini-excerpt.
The Leap published in Germany
Jonathan's second novel, The Leap, is published in Germany under the title Die Spur ins Schattenland. For information on this edition, which has a beautiful black and white cover, click here.
Web Journal Launched
Jonathan Stroud now publishes a Web Journal on this website. Click here to take a look!
Austrian Book Prize for Bartimaeus
The Bartimaeus Trilogy has won the Children's Book Award 2007 of the Jury of Young Readers, an award given by 11-13 year olds in Vienna for the best book for young people. Jonathan visited Vienna in November to meet the jury and accept the prize personally. More about this in the November 7th entry of Jonathan's journal.
Short Story Published
Jonathan has contributed a new short story to Midnight Feast (HarperCollins UK), an anthology of children's stories in aid of the charities War Child and No Strings. 'The Girl in the Tower' is a fairy story about writing, in which nothing is quite what it seems. The anthology is on sale from 2nd July. For details on Midnight Feast, click here. For more on War Child, click here. For more on No Strings, visit click here.
A New Arrival!
Jonathan and Gina are proud to announce the arrival of their son Arthur, born on 26th April 2007. Despite his father's best efforts, Arthur has so far showed little interest in literary matters, prefering to concentrate on accumulating milk and sleep - as much of each as possible, often at the same time.
The Word Festival
Jonathan will be talking about the Bartimaeus Trilogy at the Polka Theatre, 240 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, at 2pm on Sunday 24th June. Tickets cost £5 (£3 concessions). For more information, visit www.polkatheatre.com, and for tickets ring 0208 543 4888.
Cybil Award 2006 for Ptolemy's Gate
Ptolemy's Gate has won the Cybil Award 2006 in the FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION section. This is a new award given by child and Young Adult bloggers. Their citation reads:
Ptolemy's Gate receives the first Cybil for Fantasy and Science Fiction for its richly imagined fantasy world, strongly realized and unique characters, delightful language and well-honed plot. As a concluding volume of a trilogy, it delivers everything a final volume should do, taking the story arc to its peak with a climax that is both action-packed and emotionally charged. At the same time, Ptolemy’s Gate stands alone as a story and will inspire readers, children and adults alike, to seek out the previous instalments and revisit the world of Bartimaeus over and over again.
For more information on the Cybils, click here.
Buried Fire success in Germany
Buried Fire (published as Drachenglut) has become a bestseller in Germany, following hot on the success of the Bartimaeus Trilogy there. It has reached # 2 in the Children's Book chart and # 16 in the Adult Book chart. A German-language recording of the book, made by actor Rufus Beck, will soon be issued, and a preview of this can be heard by visiting www.drachenglut-dasbuch.de.
Grand Prix Success!
The Bartimaeus Trilogy has won the "Grand Prix de l'imaginaire", an important French prize for fantasy and Science Fiction. It shared the "roman jeunesse" (youth book) category with La Vie Suspendue by Timothée de Fombelle. The prize was awarded on November 4th 2006 at the Utopiales, Nantes, France. There's more information about the award winners at the Quarante-Deux website.
CORINE Award for Ptolemy’s Gate
Ptolemy’s Gate has won the 2006 CORINE International Book Award, Youth Book category. This prize is organised by the Bavarian section of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association. It was awarded on September 24th, 2006 at a ceremony in the Prinzregententheater, Munich, Germany. For more information on the CORINE Award, visit www.corine.de
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Bartimaeus books
The Bartimaeus Trilogy has won the 2006 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature. This is awarded by the Mythopoeic Society, which promotes fantastic and mythic literature. This year’s awards were announced at Mythcon 37, August 4-7, 2006 at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA.
For more information on the Mythopoeic Society and the Awards, visit www.mythsoc.org
Ptolemy’s Gate shortlisted for Quill Award
Ptolemy’s Gate was shortlisted for the 2006 Quill Award, in the Chapter Book category. The Quill Book Awards are nominated by booksellers and librarians across the USA, with final voting by readers.
Ptolemy Podcast
Jonathan Stroud recently recorded a short interview and a reading of the first two chapters of Ptolemy's Gate with The Guardian Online. Click here to access it (12.4MB), or here for a direct download (same size).
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