Much to the delight of its creators, the graphic novel, Global, was “Highly Commended” at the Wainwright Prize for Children’s Writing on Nature and Conservation last night, the winner in the category announced as Foxlight by Katya Balen.
Global: A Graphic Novel Adventure About Hope in the Face of Climate Change by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, illustrated by Giovanni Rigano was the first ever graphic novel to make the prize shortlist.
“Delighted and surprised to say that our graphic novel, Global, was awarded Highly Commended,” co-writer Andrew commented on social media. “Thank you so much to everyone at the Wainwright Prize. We are all really thrilled, especially with being in the company of such a fantastic shortlist.”
The winner in the category for Nature Writing was Late Light: The Secret Wonders of a Disappearing World, by Michael Malay, and in Conservation Writing, Blue Machine: How the Ocean Shapes Our World by Helen Czerski.
A tale of adventure and journeys, Foxlight by Katya Balen, also author of October, October, winner of the Yoto Carnegie Medal, follows two twins into the ferocious wilderness in an attempt to find their mother. A heartwarming story, Balen’s book explores sisterhood, found family and accepting love in the most unknown places.
Fen and Rey were found curled up small and tight in the fiery fur of the foxes at the very edge of the wildlands. Fen is loud and fierce and free. She feels a connection to foxes and a calling from the wild that she’s desperate to return to. Rey is quiet and shy and an expert on nature. She reads about the birds, feeds the lands and nurtures the world around her.
They are twin sisters. Different and the same. Separate and connected. They will always have each other, even if they don’t have a mother and don’t know their beginning. But they do want answers. Answers to who their mother is and where she might be. What their story is and how it began. So when a fox appears late one night at the house, Fen and Rey see it as a sign – it’s here to lead them to their truth, find their real family and fill the missing piece they have felt since they were born.
But the wildlands are exactly that: wild. They are wicked and cruel and brutal and this journey will be harder and more life changing than either Fen or Rey ever imagined…
Congratulations to all the winners and to the Global team for creating a graphic novel that made it to the shortlist and gained well-deserved praise in doing so.
• More information at wainwrightprize.com | X and Instagram: @WainwrightPrize
• Eoin Colfer is online at eoincolfer.com | Find Eoin on Facebook | Follow Eoin on Twitter @eoincolfer
• Andrew Donkin is online at andrewdonkin.co.uk | Follow him on Twitter @AndrewDonkin
• Giovanni Rigano is online at riganogiovanni.blogspot.co.uk | Follow him on Twitter @rigano_giovanni
Global is a powerful, hopeful and timely story about the real effects of climate change: two young people on different continents whose lives are catastrophically changed by global warming. A graphic novel with glorious colour artwork throughout for children of all ages – from Eoin Colfer, previously Irish Children’s Laureate, and the team behind Illegal, and his bestselling Artemis Fowl graphic novels.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics - Graphic Novels, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
Crowdfunding Spotlight: Leonora in the Morning Light, a feature film with added Bryan Talbot-created imagery 
I’ll have an armful of that! Hancock back on TV 
In Memoriam: Comic Creator Tobias Taitt 
Titan Comics delivers new Conan, Doctor Who – and Battletoads, too!