And the winner is...

The Whitbread book awards caused the first stir of the literary year today with their announcement of the five winners of their category awards for best novel, best first novel, poetry collection, biography and children's book. More information here...

Whitbread Novel Award

The Accidental by Ali Smith (0241141907, 22.50€, Hamish Hamilton)
The Accidental pans in on the Norfolk holiday home of the Smart family one hot summer. There, a beguiling stranger called Amber appears at the door bearing all sorts of unexpected gifts, trampling over family boundaries and sending each of the Smarts scurrying from the dark into the light.

Whitbread First Novel Award

Harmony Silk Factory by Tash Aw (0007204515, 12.00€, Harper Perennial)
A brilliant new novel from a genuinely exciting new voice in British fiction. Set in
Malaysia in the 1930s and 40s, with the rumbling of the Second World War in the
background and the Japanese about the invade.

Whitbread Biography Award

Matisse The Master by Hilary Spurling (0241133394, 35.00€, Hamish Hamilton)
This is the second and final volume of the first true biography of Henri Matisse. Hilary
Spurling's biography investigates the secret life of Matisse, whose painting shocked and infuriated his contemporaries while paving the way for modern art. Here she looks at his glory years between 1909 and 1954.

Whitbread Children’s Book Award

The New Policeman by Kate Thompson (037032823X, 16.50€, Random House Children’)

A wonderfully intriguing story going right to the heart of Irish magic, folklore and
music. Readership level: 12+.

Whitbread Poetry Award
Logue’s Homer Cold Calls by Christopher Logue (0571202772, 13.50€, Faber)

The fifth, and penultimate, instalment of Logue's Homeric masterpiece.

Order these books from Magna Carta Bookshop until the 20th January and get 20% off.