The Laugh Out Loud Book Awards 2023 - Meet the judges
Meet the judges
The Laugh Out Loud Book Awards are back! But who are the judges this year? Let’s find out more about them!
Michael Rosen
Michael Rosen, one of the best-known figures in the children’s book world, is renowned for his work as a poet, performer, broadcaster and scriptwriter. He lectures and teaches in universities on children’s literature, reading and writing. Michael is a familiar voice to BBC listeners and is currently presenting Word of Mouth, the magazine programme that looks at the English language and the way we use it. He visits schools with his one-man show to enthuse children with his passion for books and poetry. Michael has been a Lollies judge since the awards were created in 2016.
Anita Mangan
Anita Mangan is a celebrated illustrator and graphic designer. It was while Anita was working for Comic Relief that she decided to pursue a career in illustration. Now her witty, bold style has featured in over 60 books including for Leon, Gizzi Erskine and Fearne Cotton. Anita illustrates the best-selling Be a Unicorn… series and her wild and funny illustrations feature throughout the middle-grade books written by Stephen Mangan including the bestselling Escape the Rooms, The Fart that Changed the World and The Unlikely Rise of Harry Sponge (out April 2023).
Ella McLeod
Ella McLeod is a writer, poet and performer. Her debut novel Rapunzella, Or, Don’t Touch My Hair was published in 2022. She graduated first in her year at Warwick University. Ella won Shoot From The Lip spoken word poetry competition in 2017 and has since worked as a spoken word poet and actress. She is a proud South Londoner and lives in Peckham with her partner, Michael, and their cat, HRH Princess Persephone.
Steven Butler
Steven Butler is the much-loved, award-winning author of the Nothing To See Here Hotel series (winner of the Sainsbury’s Fiction Prize, shortlisted for the Laugh Out Loud awards), Humbug: The Elf Who Saved Christmas and The Wrong Pong series (shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize). He is also a successful actor and voice artist, working in theatre, film, audio and video games.
Rani Tiwana
Rani Tiwana is an Assistant Headteacher at Parkgate Primary School, Coventry. She studied English at the University of Cambridge and would love to write and publish a children’s picture book one day.
Susannah Inglis
Susannah Inglis is our very own Product Manager for Scholastic Book Clubs and Fairs. She’s in charge of choosing the very best books that children will love so is the perfect addition to our Lollies judging panel. She spends a lot of her time being used as cat bed by her two cats, so uses that opportunity to curl up with a book, especially books that make her cry and whodunnits (although claims to always be able to work it out before it is revealed).