Barry Loser sequel I am Still Not a Loser and picture book Monkey Nut win the 2013 Roald Dahl Funny Prize
Jim Smith and Simon Rickerty were winners of the 2013 Roald Dahl Funny Prize awards
By Martin Chilton, Culture Editor online
1:00PM GMT 10 Dec 2013
Jim Smith’s I Am Still Not a Loser, the second book in the Barry Loser series, has won the 2013 Roald Dahl Funny Prize in the 7-14 category.
Monkey Nut, by Simon Rickerty, was crowned the funniest book for children aged six and under. Both authors were awarded £2,500 each at a ceremony today at the Cambridge Theatre in London, home to the Royal Shakespeare Company’s multi award-winning production of Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical. Lisa Davina Philip, who plays Mrs Phelps the librarian in the show, made a guest appearance at the ceremony.
Smith, author of the best-selling Barry Loser series, is also behind the gift and card range Waldo Pancake, and is an in-house designer for Puccino’s coffee chain.
Michael Rosen, chair of judges, said: “The old adage that no one likes a loser is gloriously subverted with Barry who is both lovable and hilarious. The mix of words and drawings are a playful reminder of everyone’s home-grown cartoons and the big nose motif has become a cult.”
Monkey Nut is a unique picture book that tells its story in just 41 words, with the bold illustrations providing visual humour as two creatures battle it out to claim a monkey nut as their own. Rosen also praised author and illustrator Rickerty for his “brio and inventiveness”.
Rosen created the prize in 2008 with Booktrust and the Roald Dahl Literary Estate. The prize aims to reward those authors and artists who write and illustrate their books using humour and previous winners include Andy Stanton, Liz Pichon and Philip Ardagh (who was shortlisted again this year for his book The Grunts All At Sea).
ROALD DAHL FUNNY PRIZE PAST WINNERS:
The Funniest Book for Children Aged Six and Under
2012: My Big Shouting Day, written and illustrated by Rebecca Patterson
2011: Cats Ahoy! by Peter Bently (illustrated by Jim Field)
2010: Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates
2009: Mr Pusskins Best in Show by Sam Lloyd
2008: The Witch’s Children Go To School by Ursula Jones (illustrated by Russell Ayto)
The Funniest Book for Children Aged Seven to Fourteen
2012: Dark Lord: Teenage Years by Jamie Thomson (illustrated by Freya Hartas)
2011: The Brilliant World of Tom Gates by Liz Pichon
2010: Withering Tights by Louise Rennison
2009: Grubtown Tales: Stinking Rich and Just Plain Stinky by Philip Ardagh
2008: Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear by Andy Stanton