Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2011

The Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2011 winners have been announced at a ceremony at the Unicorn Theatre, London. Letterbox Club's book selection always includes humorous books and we consider Roald Dahl Funny Prize shortlisted titles for our programme every year.

Cats Ahoy! by Peter Bently, illustrated by Jim Field, has won in the category for children aged six and under, and The Brilliant World of Tom Gates, written and illustrated by Liz Pichon, captured the prize for children aged seven to 14. Both winners received a cheque for £2,500.

Chair of judges and founder of the Prize, Michael Rosen (pictured, above right) commented:

These two books are master classes in how to write and how to draw funny.

Other titles nominated this year were:

The Funniest Book for Children Aged Six and Under

Bedtime for Monsters by Ed Vere (Puffin)

First Week at Cow School by Andy Cutbill, illustrated by Russell Ayto (HarperCollins Children's Books)

Limelight Larry by Leigh Hodgkinson (Orchard)

Marshall Armstrong is New to Our School by David Mackintosh (HarperCollins Children's Books)

A Place to Call Home by Alexis Deacon, illustrated by Viviane Schwarz (Walker)

The Funniest Book for Children Aged Seven to Fourteen

Animal Tales by Terry Jones, illustrated by Michael Foreman (Pavilion Children's Books)

The Get Rich Quick Club by Rose Impey (Orchard)

Letters from an Alien Schoolboy by Ros Asquith (Piccadilly Press)

Penny Dreadful is a Magnet for Disaster by Joanna Nadin, illustrated by Jess Mikhail (Usborne)

The Wrong Pong by Steven Butler, illustrated by Chris Fisher (Puffin)

Joining Michael Rosen on this year's judging panel were author Grace Dent, Horrid Henry author Francesca Simon, illustrator Tony Ross, and Yes Man author and journalist, Danny Wallace.

Speaking of all the nominated books, Michael Rosen added:

These are books that are inventive, clever, warm and strong on observing our quirks and foibles. The authors, illustrators and publishers can be proud of what they've produced, and we're proud to present them as the top funny books for children this year.

This year, for the first time, 400 school children were selected to read the shortlisted titles, discuss them with their classmates and choose their favourite funny book. Their votes were then combined with those of the judges.

Concerned that humorous books were often overlooked, Michael Rosen created the Roald Dahl Funny Prize in 2008 with Booktrust, as part of his work as Children's Laureate.