The stunning and extraordinarily moving novel A Monster Calls from Patrick Ness, illustrated by Jim Kay has won the Red House Children’s Book Award 2012. Voted for solely by young readers from a shortlist drawn up by children’s book groups across Britain, the award is recognised by authors, parents and librarians as a key indicator of which books are popular with children.
Patrick Ness is one of 2011’s most acclaimed authors, with A Monster Calls already having won the Galaxy British Book Award for Children’s Book of the Year 2011 and now the Red House Children’s Book Award. The novel won both the category for Older Readers and the overall prize in the award, which is owned and coordinated by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups and sponsored by Red House Children’s Books. 
Patrick Ness took the initial idea for the novel from much-loved Carnegie Medal winner Siobhan Dowd, whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself. A Monster Calls is the unflinching, darkly funny and deeply moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother and an unexpected monstrous visitor. The haunting tale has proved popular with children, showing that they enjoy reading poignant and emotional stories. Patrick has also written The Chaos Walking trilogy for young adults – the last instalment of which ‘Men of Monsters’ won the 2011 Carnegie Medal
On receiving his award Patrick said “Winning the Red House is terrific, especially because it’s chosen by young readers themselves. Trust me, as a writer for young people, I know how bracingly honest they can be about their opinions, so to have been selected from a really strong shortlist is a splendid feeling. Properly chuffed "
Illustrator Jim Kay said “Wow! I’m bowled over by this. It’s the first award I’ve ever been involved in, it’s great to think that it’s all down to young people reading and discussing wonderful new stories. I love Patrick’s writing; as an illustrator it’s been a pleasure to work on such a brave and moving book, and as one of Patrick’s fans – Go Patrick!”
Two other category winners in the 2012 award will also announced: Chris Wormell’s beautifully illustrated Scruffy Bear and the Six White Mice has won the category for Younger Children, while winner of the 2011 Roald Dahl Funny Prize Liz Pichon’s hilarious The Brilliant World of Tom Gates has clinched the Younger Readers’ category.
An incredible 83,728 votes were cast by children and young adults all over the UK both online and through ballots collated by regional coordinators of the Federation of Children’s Book Groups.
Tens of thousands of children from schools, libraries and nurseries spent six months devouring 400 titles to find the shortlisted ten books, four in the category for books for Younger Children, and three each in the Younger Readers’ and Older Readers’ categories.
