Derek Landy, Author of Kids' Series Skulduggery Pleasant, Wins the Bord Gais Energy Irish Book of the Decade Competition

DUBLIN, June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, the 'Bord Gais Energy Irish Book Awards' announced the winner of the Irish Book of the Decade competition. 'Comic fantasy' novel Skulduggery Pleasant by Dubliner Derek Landy has topped the web-poll to decide Ireland's favorite Irish Book of the Decade.

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100602/NY14632 )

The shortlist was selected by a panel of experts from the Irish literary community including editors, librarians and book retailers. The shortlist comprises of 50 of the best and most popular books written by Irish authors over the last 10 years and truly represents the interests of all readers across every genre. It included internationally renowned Irish authors and national treasures such as William Trevor, Eoin Colfer, Anne Enright, Colum McCann, John Boyne, among others.

"When Derek Landy's Skulduggery Pleasant first came to prominence, Derek was hailed as a literary sensation, an unknown author who secured a seven figure sum on the back of a debut novel – not an easy crown to carry," said Tom Owens, Chairman of the Bord Gais Energy Irish Book Awards. "However, not only was Skulduggery Pleasant a huge international success, it mobilized many young people not only to start reading but to get passionate about reading." 

Author Derek Landy says that he "seized the chance to write about all the things that I love: monsters, magic, martial arts, murder and mayhem."

Skulduggery Pleasant, now published in thirty languages and with a major movie in development at Warner Bros, tells the story of Stephanie, a feisty twelve-year-old girl, who partners up with Skulduggery Pleasant, the wise-cracking skeleton of a dead magician.

Skulduggery Pleasant has garnered many awards, including being listed on American Library Association's Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults in 2008 and selected as a New York Public Library "Book for the Teen Age," among others.

The Bord Gais Energy Irish Book of the Decade competition was devised primarily to encourage reading and to build awareness of Irish authors. For more information on the awards, go to: www.irishbookawards.ie.

Skulduggery Pleasant, as well as the subsequent titles in the series, Playing with Fire and The Faceless Ones are published by HarperCollins Children's Books in the U.S. and are available nationwide, including at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, borders.com, and indiebound.org.

SOURCE Goodman Media International

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers

9k+
Digital Media
Outlets

270k+
Journalists
Opted In

GET STARTED