The Percy FitzPatrick Award was initiated in 1970 by the erstwhile South African Library Association (SALA) for the best South African children's book in English. It was initially stipulated that only books written by South African authors and published by South African publishers would be considered. During the first few years problems were encountered to obtain acceptable submissions, irrespective of the fact that books published five years prior to the setting up of the award would be considered, but also because many English authors of the time preferred to publish their books abroad. Since 1977 the decision was taken that every good children's book in English would be considered provided it was written by a South African author, or from a South African perspective or with a similar background. Notwithstanding this change in regulation, the first award was only made in 1980. Since 1981 the award has been made biennially for books produced during the previous two years.

With the change of the SALA to the South African Institute of Librarianship and Information Science (SAILIS) in 1980 the Committee for Children's Books of SAILIS was responsible for awarding the prize until the disbandment of SAILIS in 1998. The last award however was made in 1996. After the demise of SAILIS the English Academy of South Africa became the new custodians for the award.

Winners

1970-1978: No award

1979:  The mantis and the moon by Marguerite Poland.
           Johannesburg: Ravan, 1979

1980-1981: No award

1982-1983: The wood-ash stars by Marguerite Poland. Cape
                     Town: David Philip, 1983

1984-1985: No award

1986-1987: The Strollers by Lesley Beake. Cape Town: Maskew
                      Miller Longman, 1987

1988-1989: A cageful of butterflies by Lesley Beake. Cape Town:
                     Maskew Miller Longman, 1989

1990-1991: 92 Queens Road by Dianne Case. Cape Town:
                     Maskew Miller Longman, 1991
                     Motivation of winner and list of highly commended
                     books

1992-1993: Stories South of the Sun: 28 South African read-aloud
                      stories compiled by Christel and Hans Bodenstein
                      and Linda Rode. Cape Town: Tafelberg:1993.
                      Motivation

1994-1995: The boy who counted to a million by Lawrence
                     Bransby. Cape Town: Human & Rousseau, 1995

2000: The slayer of the shadows by Elana Bregin.
           Pietermaritzburg: Gecko, 1996
           Motivation

2002: Skyline by Patricia Schonstein Pinnock. Cape Town: David
           Philip Publishers, 2000.

2004: The eight man by Michael Williams. Cape Town: Oxford
           University Press.

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