Michael Rosen unveils the hilarious books on the Lollies Awards 2020 shortlist

Published on: 19 August 2019 Author: Catriona Wightman

12 brilliantly funny books have made it on to the shortlist for the 2020 Lollies Awards.

The 2020 Lollies Awards judges

David Walliams, Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre, Sophy Henn and Greg James and Chris Smith are among the authors and illustrators who have been nominated.

The winners of the prize - set up to celebrate funny fiction for young people - are all voted for by young people.

But the shortlist has been picked by a panel of experts, chaired by former Waterstones Children's Laureate Michael Rosen.

He was joined by BooksForTopics founder and primary school teacher Alison Leach; primary school teacher and blogger Scott Evans; Global Teacher Prize 2018 winner Andria Zafirakou; and Scholastic's Kate Newport.

'Funny books are so important'

The judges had to whittle down 120 titles submitted by publishers to just 12, with prizes being awarded in three categories: picture book, book for 6-8 year-olds, and book for 9-12 year-olds.

'Anyone around children looking for books to have them giggling and laughing over and over again, these 12 books will do the job,' Rosen said.

'Funny books are so important because they draw you through, and you have a wonderful, time and feel good. What could be better than that?'

Children can vote for their favourites on the Lollies website and the winning books will be announced in early 2020.

The shortlist in full is as follows:

The Lollies Awards 2020 shortlist

Best Laugh Out Loud Picture Book

Baby's First Bank Heist by Jim Whalley and illustrated by Stephen Collins (Bloomsbury)
Spyder by Matt Carr (Scholastic)
Ten Fat Sausages by Michelle Robinson and illustrated by Tor Freeman (Andersen Press)
You're Called What?! by Kes Gray and illustrated by Nikki Dyson (Macmillan)

Best Laugh Out Loud Book for 6-8 year-olds

Bad Nana: Older Not Wiser by Sophy Henn (HarperCollins)
The Legend of Kevin by Philip Reeve and illustrated by Sarah McIntyre (OUP)
The Nothing to See Here Hotel by Steven Butler and illustrated by Steven Lenton (Simon & Schuster)
World's Worst Children 3 by David Walliams and illustrated by Tony Ross (HarperCollins)

Best Laugh out Loud Book for 9-13 year-olds

I Bet I Can Make You Laugh by Joshua Seigal and illustrated by Tim Wesson (Bloomsbury)
I Swapped My Brother on the Internet by Jo Simmons and illustrated by Nathan Reed (Bloomsbury)
Kid Normal and the Rogue Heroes by Greg James and Chris Smith, and illustrated by Erica Salcedo (Bloomsbury)
Planet Stan by Elaine Wickson and illustrated by Chris Judge (OUP)