Rudden's a Conn-tender for book award

A children's author from Cavan is in the running for an award at the An Post Book of the Year.

Dave Rudden was nominated for 'Tales of Darkisle book 1: Conn of the Dead' in the children's book (senior) category.

The story follows 11-year-old Conn who, sent home early from school for troublemaking, hangs out at UCD’s National Folklore Collection while his Aunt Doireann finishes up her work.

When he spots a case marked ‘hazardous’, Conn just can’t stop himself from lifting the lid … Inside lies the ancient skull of the Abhartach – an undead sorcerer of terrible might – and Conn has just set his spirit free.

The Bawnboy man is shortlisted alongside 'Milly McCarthy and the Haunted House HullaBOOloo' by Leona Forde & Karen Harte, 'The Doomsday Club' by Kevin Moran, 'Animalopedia' by Kathi and John Burke, Granny National by Rachael Blackmore, Rachel Pierce & Tom Snape and 'Nina Peanut: Epic World Tour Era' by Sarah Bowie

What does it mean to be shortlisted?

"It's a huge honour to be beside authors and illustrators like Leona Forde and Karen Harris and Kevin Moran. Ireland is a world leader in producing fiction for young people, you just need to look at like any of the books on any of the lists to see that."

He likes the idea that a book about a character like Conn, who is "so perpendicular to academic achievement and behavior" possibly winning the award.

“When I go to schools I get kids coming up to me afterwards being like, 'I'm Conn'. And I say, 'I'm Conn too'. And he teacher is like, 'Yeah that kid is Conn!' It would mean such an amount to get a thumbs up like that. It's great to be shortlisted, you can't bet on anything else but I just think it'd be so lovely to see Conn get a lift like that."

To vote in the children's award and other categories, you can click here.