Peterborough author’s ‘dream come true’ shortlisted for national Waterstones award

Peterborough author, Benjamin Dean has been shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2022.
Peterborough author Benjamin Dean has been shortlisted in the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2022.  Picture Credit:  Laura GallantPeterborough author Benjamin Dean has been shortlisted in the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2022.  Picture Credit:  Laura Gallant
Peterborough author Benjamin Dean has been shortlisted in the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2022. Picture Credit: Laura Gallant

An author from Peterborough has been shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2022.

Benjamin Dean is nominated in the Books for Younger Readers category for ‘Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow.’

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‘Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow’, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat, is a book packed with heart and humour. The story follows young Archie Albright and his best friends on a determined quest to understand his parents’ separation following a revelation from his father.

Benjamin Dean was born in Peterborough and now lives in London where he is a celebrity reporter. Benjamin can be found on Twitter as @notagainben tweeting about celebrity and LGBTQ+ culture to his 10,000+ followers.

Benjamin Dean says: “To be shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize is like a dream within a dream come true. I spent so many hours of my life as a kid browsing shelves in my local Waterstones, shout out to the gorgeous Peterborough shop! I truly feel that it’s where I realised I wanted to be an author. To now be included in such an incredible shortlist feels like a full circle moment, and I couldn’t be happier or more grateful.”

The shortlists consist of eighteen books across three categories. Benjamin will go up against six other authors to win his category, where then the three category winners will compete for the overall title of Waterstones Children’s Book Prize Winner 2022.

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Florentyna Martin, Waterstones Head of Children’s says: “At a time when books are increasingly relied upon to help us navigate an uncertain world, our booksellers have keenly chosen shortlists that inspire readers. Offering varied perspectives on themes of belonging and identity, the shortlisted books invite young readers to find comfort in familiar communities, discover engaging new worlds, or adventure to the unknown, all whilst being guided by unique, life-changing and relatable characters. The skill and talent of these writers and illustrators showcases the dynamism of children’s books, and the power of sharing stories.”

Every year Waterstones’ expert booksellers vote for the books they believe are the very best in new children’s writing and illustration. Now in its 18th year, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize has evolved into one of the most prestigious accolades for children’s books in the UK, launching the careers of many authors and illustrators.

The winners will be announced on Thursday 30th March 2022. The winner of each category will receive £2000, with the overall winner receiving an extra £3000. In the event that the prize is awarded to a partnership, then the prize money will be split equally between the joint winners.

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