Lifetime Achievement Award 2017

The BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award is given to a children's writer or illustrator whose body of work, in the opinion of the panel of judges, merits recognition for a lifetime's achievement in children's literature.

Raymond Briggs: winner in 2017

Raymond Briggs, the iconic children’s author and illustrator, was awarded the BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017.

His most noted works include the classic Christmas tales The Snowman and Father Christmas, as well as Fungus the Bogeyman, Ug, The Bear, When the Wind Blows, Gentleman Jim and Ethel and Ernest.

Born in 1934 to dad Ernest, a milkman, and Ethel, a former lady's maid-turned-housewife, Briggs showed interest in cartooning from an early age and attended various art schools. He briefly pursued painting before becoming a professional illustrator, winning several awards throughout his extended career, including the 1966 and 1973 Kate Greenaway Medals from the British Library Association, the Horn Book Award in 1979 and the British Book Award in 1993 and 1999.

Briggs, who has become synonymous with Christmas, said:

'It's lovely to be given an award for all my life achievements. Drawing, telling stories and sharing these adventures is something I've always been passionate about. Being awarded the BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award is an incredible honour and I'm so glad I've been able to make such an impression on people.'

Raymond Briggs sadly passed away in August 2022.

Judges

Nicolette Jones

Writer, critic and broadcaster

Nicolette Jones is a writer, critic and broadcaster specialising in literary and arts journalism. She has been the Children's Books Reviewer of The Sunday Times for more than two decades, and in 2012 was shortlisted for the Eleanor Farjeon Award for distinguished service to the world of children's books.

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Cressida Cowell

Author

Cressida Cowell wrote and illustrated the popular How to Train Your Dragon series, which has sold over 7 million copies worldwide and is published in 38 languages. How to Train Your Dragon is also an award-winning DreamWorks film series and a TV series shown on Netflix. 

 

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Chris Riddell

Author, illustrator and former Children's Laureate

Chris Riddell is a prolific writer and illustrator who served as Waterstones Children's Laureate 2015-2017. He has won the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal twice, in 2002 and 2004, and his solo work includes the Goth Girl and Ottoline series. 

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John Agard

Poet

John Agard is one of the most exciting poets writing in the English language, and in 2013 he was awarded the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry. He has also written verse plays and librettos and has been a writer-in-residence at the BBC, the South Bank and the National Maritime Museum.

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Shami Chakrabarti

Campaigner

Shami Chakrabarti CBE is Britain's leading human rights campaigner and Liberty's former director. A lawyer, she is Chancellor of the University of Essex, Honorary Professor of Law at the University of Manchester, Honorary Fellow of Mansfield College, Oxford and a Master of the Bench of Middle Temple. 

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Diana Gerald

BookTrust CEO

Diana Gerald joined BookTrust as Chief Executive in 2015 and works closely with partners in Government, the Arts Council, publishing, libraries, children's centres, school and local authorities. She is  a trustee of SA-YES, a South African charity that mentors young people leaving care homes in Cape Town.