Frank Cottrell-Boyce
Children’s Booker Prize 2027 judge (Chair)
- Prizes judged
Frank Cottrell-Boyce is a multi-award-winning children’s author and screenwriter, and a lifelong champion of children’s books
Millions, Cottrell-Boyce’s debut children’s novel, won the prestigious CILIP Carnegie Medal. His other books include Cosmic, Framed, The Astounding Broccoli Boy, Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth, Runaway Robot, Noah’s Gold and The Wonder Brothers.
Cottrell-Boyce has enjoyed a long-time collaboration with award-winning illustrator Steven Lenton. His books have been shortlisted for a multitude of prizes, including the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, the Whitbread Children’s Fiction Award, The Roald Dahl Funny Prize, and the Blue Peter Book Award.
He is also a highly successful screenwriter. He has written for the hit TV series Doctor Who and his script for Michael Morpurgo’s Kensuke’s Kingdom won a British Animation Award.
Along with Danny Boyle, Cottrell-Boyce devised the Opening Ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics. He has been the judge for the BBC’s 500 Words creative writing competition and The One Show’s As You Write It competition.
In 2023, he launched a successful podcast with Nadia Shireen,The Island of Brilliant!, celebrating writing and illustration for children of all ages.
His latest book, A British Childhood: How Our Children Live Now is a non-fiction account of our failure to look after the nation’s most vulnerable citizens, and a call to arms to all of us to protect the innocence of childhood. It will be published in June 2026 by Picador.
Cottrell-Boyce is the inaugural Chair of judges for the Children’s Booker Prize, the winner of which will be announced in February 2027. He lives in Merseyside, UK with his family.
Judge photo © David Bebber
Frank Cottrell-Boyce on the Children's Booker Prize 2027
‘Every child deserves the chance to experience the happiness of diving into a great book.
‘The Children’s Booker Prize will make it easier for children to find the book that’s right for them. The book that calls to them, that invites them on the adventure. Having children at the judging table will turn the prize into a national reading party (one of the joys of reading is arguing about books!).
‘And – maybe most of all – gifting thousands of copies of the nominated titles will open the door to that party and say, come on in, this is for you.’
The Children’s Booker Prize 2027
© Henri Campeã
Watch our video
