Waverton Good Read Award
The Waverton Good Read Award was founded in 2003 by villagers in Waverton, Chester, England, and is based on Le Prix de la Cadière d'Azur, a literary prize awarded by a Provençal village. Adult debut novels written by UK residents and published in the previous twelve months are eligible for consideration and are read by villagers. "The aim was not only to stimulate reading in the village but to provide encouragement to British writers". Two of the main founders were Gwen Goodhew (b 21 October 1942) an educational specialist who established Wirral Able Child Centre and has written and edited books on teaching the gifted child, and Wendy Smedley. It is the first British award to be judged by normal readers rather than literary figures.[citation needed]
Waverton Good Read Children's Award was first presented in 2011, for children's literature.
Due to the COVID pandemic, the 2019/20 shortlist and winner were announced on the same day, and there was no Children's award.
Winners and shortlists
| Year | Winner | Shortlisted |
|---|---|---|
| 2003/4 | The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon |
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| 2004/5 | Boy A, by Jonathan Trigell |
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| 2005/6 | A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, by Marina Lewycka |
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| 2006/7 | The Killing Jar, by Nicola Monaghan |
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| 2007/8 | Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, by Paul Torday |
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| 2008/9 | Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith |
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| 2009/10 | The Ghosts of Eden by Andrew Sharp |
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| 2010/11 | Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson |
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| 2011/12 | Tiny Sunbirds Far Away by Christie Watson |
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| 2012/13 | The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce |
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| 2013/14 | The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence |
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| 2014/15 | If I Should Die by Matthew Frank |
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| 2015/16 | The Death's Head Chess Club by John Donoghue |
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| 2016/17 | Anatomy of a Soldier by Harry Parker |
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| 2017/18 | Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman |
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| 2018/19 | White Chrysanthemum by Mary Lynn Bracht |
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| 2019/20 | Island Song by Madeleine Bunting |
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Waverton Good Read Children's Award
In 2011, the inaugural Waverton Good Read Children's Award was presented.
- Winners
- 2011 Stephanie Burgis, A Most Improper Magick
- 2012 Caroline Green, Dark Ride
- 2013 L A Jones, The Nightmare Factory
- 2014 Erika McGann, The Demon Notebook
- 2015 Simon Mayle, Shoutykid - How Harry Riddles Made a Mega-amazing Zombie Movie
- 2016 Kerr Thomson, The Sound of Whales
- 2017/18 Katie Smith, The Pumpkin Project
- 2018/19 Andrew Clover, Rory Branagan, Detective
External links
- Waverton Good Read website
- Saint, T. "'I'm not even the fifth best novelist in Waverton'", Telegraph (30 June 2004)
- Keeper of the Snails: The Waverton Good Read Award (interview with one of the organisers)