BBC Ukrainian 2017 Book Awards winners are revealed

The Land of the Lost, or The Little Terrible Tales (Земля загублених, або маленькі страшні казки) by Kateryna Kalytko was named the BBC Book of the Year 2017. Comp and Company (Комп і компанія) by Anna Korshunova won the Children’s Book of the Year title.

Anna Korshunova and Kateryna Kalytko each will receive the Ukrainian hryvnya equivalent of £1,000. The publishers of the winning books - Vydavnytstvo Starogo Leva in Lviv and Kiev-based Chas maystriv - will have the right to use the logos of the BBC Ukrainian book awards on subsequent editions of the winning titles.

Artyom Liss, Europe Region editor, BBC World Service, says: “The themes to which Kateryna Kalytko relates in her short stories are particularly relevant today, as the world appears increasingly divided. She highlights how important it is for people to stay connected with each other, to understand each other, whatever life experience, history and values they may have.”

Svitlana Pyrkalo, EBRD cultural advisor and member of the Awards jury, comments: “‘Comp and Company’ by Anna Korshunova, Children's Book of the Year winner, is a great story about getting away from the computer and finding friendship and adventures. It chimes in spirit with the well-loved classics of Ukrainian literature for children. Only by diving headfirst into life can you have a real childhood, make real friends and fight real-life injustice together - having fun along the way! This is a valuable lesson not only for kids, but also for their social-media addicted parents.”

The Reader of the Year 2017 prizes for the best reader reviews were awarded to: Yana Grytsay for her review of Volodymyr Rafeenko’s book, Довгі часи (The Long Hours); and Lesya Kosmovska for her review of Oleg Chaklun’s Піраміда Синтії (Cynthia’s Pyramid). The reviewers will each receive a Kindle EBook.

The BBC Book of the Year awards panel, which selected this year’s shortlists and the winners, includes:

• Vira Ageyeva, professor, Ukraine National University “Kiev-Mohyla Academy”
• Olga Gerasymiuk, journalist, member of Ukraine National Council for TV and Radio Broadcasting
• Taras Lyuty, philosopher, writer
• Svitlana Pyrkalo, EBRD cultural advisor
• Marta Shokalo, BBC Ukrainian desk editor
• Vitaliy Zhezhera, writer, journalist.

BBC Ukrainian is part of the BBC World Service.

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Past years’ winners

• 2016 - Oblivion (Забуття) by Tanya Malyarchuk (BBC Book of the Year) and Thirteen Tales in the Dark (Тринадцять історій у темряві) by Halyna Tkachuk (BBC Children’s Book of the Year)
• 2015 - The House by Bating Hallow (Дім у Бейтінг Голлов) by Vasyl Makhno and 140 Decibels of Silence (140 децибелів тиші) by Andriy Bachynsky
• 2014 - Felix Austria (Фелікс Австрія) by Sofia Andrukhovych and Dragons, Forward! (Дракони, вперед!) by Katya Shtanko
• 2013 - The Remote Space (Далекий простір) by Yaroslav Melnyk and Who Will Make the Snow (Хто зробить сніг) by Maryana and Taras Prokhasko
• 2012 - The Tango of Death (Танго смерті) by Yuri Vynnychuk and The Secret Society of Cowards and Liars (Таємне Товариство Боягузів та Брехунів) by Lesya Voronina
• 2011 - Blue Waters (Cині води) by Volodymyr Rutkivskiy
• 2010 - Voroshilovgrad (Ворошиловград) by Serhiy Zhadan
• 2009 - TAKE (ТАКЕ) by Izdrik
• 2008 - Milk and Blood (Молоко з кров’ю) by Lyuko Dashvar
• 2007 - Andriyivskyy Descent (Андріївський узвіз) by Volodymyr Dibrovа
• 2006 - Capital (Капітал) by Serhiy Zhadan
• 2005 - Spring Games in Autumn Gardens (Весняні ігри в осінніх садах) by Yuriy Vynnychuk