NEWCASTLE author Martin Waddell will be honoured later today with the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award at the An Post Irish Book Awards.
The bestselling author of Owl Babies, published in 1992, is the first children’s author to receive the award, which will be presented at a ceremony in Dublin.
As the 2024 Lifetime Achievement honouree, Martin will join a host of other distinguished recipients, including Sebastian Barry, Colm Tóibín, Thomas Kinsella, Eavan Boland, John Montague, JP Donleavy, Paul Durcan, John Banville, Maeve Binchy, John McGahern, Edna O’Brien, William Trevor, Seamus Heaney, Anne Enright and Professor Roy Foster.
He is one of the most popular and beloved authors in the genre – with more than 100 books to his credit and 25 million books sold worldwide – making him one of the most prolific and successful children’s writers.
Best known for Owl Babies (1992) and the Little Bear books, illustrated by Barbara Firth, he won the prestigious Hans Christian Anderson Award in 2004, which is considered the highest international recognition for an author of children’s books. He is also two-time winner of the Smarties Book Prize and received the Kurt Maschler Award among others.
In conferring the award, the Board of the Irish Book Awards noted that Owl Babies “has become a timeless classic, widely read in homes and schools alike”.
The Board stated: ‘Northern Irish author, Martin Waddell, is best known for his work in the genre of children’s literature.
‘Previously, Waddell had written thrillers and adult fiction under the pseudonym Catherine Sefton but having transitioned to children’s literature, he became one of the most popular and well-beloved authors in the genre.
‘His most famous book is Owl Babies (1992), a picture book about three baby owls waiting anxiously for their mother to return. It has become a timeless classic, widely read in homes and schools alike, and praised for its reassuring message of maternal love and security.
‘Equally popular are the Little Bear books, illustrated by Barbara Firth, which explore themes of friendship, family, and adventure. You would struggle to find an Irish parent who hasn’t read these books to their children at one time or another and all Irish booksellers owe Martin a massive debt for the privilege of selling and recommending his wonderful go-to classics.’
It added: ‘Waddell’s signature style is simple, direct, and suffused with an instinctive empathy for the concerns of children and their parents.
‘A deeply private person, Waddell lives quietly at his home in County Down. His legacy, however, is far-reaching, as his stories continue to be cherished by new generations of readers around the world.
‘For all of the above reasons, the Board of the An Post Irish Book Awards wish to present the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award to Martin Waddell.’
Larry Mac Hale, chairperson of the An Post Irish Book Awards, said Martin’s “storytelling captures the hearts of readers both young and old, and his work is filled with warmth, imagination, and a deep understanding of childhood, making him one of the most beloved voices in children’s literature.”
Noting that the Board of the An Post Irish Book Awards “is delighted to present the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award to Martin Waddell,” Mr Mac Hale added: “Waddell’s ability to bring characters to life and explore universal emotions with such tenderness and insight makes him a worthy recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Now in its 19th year, these awards celebrate and promote Irish writing to the widest range of readers possible, bringing together a vast community passionate about books – readers, authors, booksellers, publishers and librarians – to recognise the very best of new and established Irish writing talent.
