Illustrator Jim Kay said “Wow! I’m bowled over by this. 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. On receiving his award Patrick said “Winning the Red House is terrific, especially because it’s chosen by young readers themselves. Patrick has also written The Chaos Walking trilogy for young adults – the last instalment of which ‘Men of Monsters’ won the 2011 Carnegie Medal

The haunting tale has proved popular with children, showing that they enjoy reading poignant and emotional stories. A Monster Calls is the unflinching, darkly funny and deeply moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother and an unexpected monstrous visitor. 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. 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 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. 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. 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.

Jim kay a monster calls