Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler blasts Brexit and 'may have to leave UK'

Scheffler has illustrated many of Julia Donaldson's books

Children's book illustrator Axel Scheffler has hit out at Brexit as he picked up the illustrator of the year prize at the British Book Awards.

German-born Scheffler is best known for his work on Julia Donaldson's books, including The Gruffalo series.

"I can't pretend it's business as usual. It's just 10 months until 'Freedom Day' - next March," he said.

"Worst-case scenario, I might not be allowed to stay here by the time my next book with Julia is launched."

The UK is due to leave the EU on 29 March 2019. The UK voted for Brexit by 52% to 48% in 2016.

In December, a joint document issued by the UK government and the EU said both EU Citizens and UK nationals can continue "to live, work or study as they currently do under the same conditions as under Union law" after Brexit.

Scheffler, who has made his views about Brexit known before, said: "The UK has been my home for 36 years. There would have been no Gruffalo without the EU facilitating my study here.

"And, even if I had, somehow, studied in the UK, I would have had to leave after my studies ended in 1985. So there would never have been the successful Anglo-German joint venture Donaldson-Scheffler."

Angie Thomas was born, raised and still lives in Jackson, Mississippi

Scheffler said he was "very grateful" for the award and "to the judges who chose me, a foreign EU citizen in Brexit times - that's a nice gesture".

He added: "But I also accept it with a heavy heart and maybe even a slightly bitter feeling - it feels like a consolation prize. Or even a farewell gift."

The December document confirmed that EU and UK citizens have free movement of rights until the day the UK withdraws from the EU next year. This, in effect, is the cut-off date for EU citizens moving to the UK.

Those who are yet to be granted permanent residency in the UK will have their rights protected, so they can still acquire it after withdrawal.

The process for giving EU citizens residency rights in the UK will be under a new procedure, referred to as "settled status".

Honeyman's novel was also named best debut

Other winners at the British Book Awards included Philip Pullman, who was named author of the year for his "outstanding" success.

The children's author was recognised after returning to the world of his Dark Materials with La Belle Sauvage last year. Awards organisers described Pullman as a "true one-off".

Gail Honeyman won book of the year for her best-selling debut Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

Judges said it was "brilliantly written" and "the complete package".

The novel, which was the second biggest-selling debut of 2017, won the debut book of the year award and then beat six other category winners to be named overall book of the year.

The winners across the seven categories for author of the year were:

• Fiction: Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor (Fourth Estate)

• Debut: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (Harper Fiction)

• Crime and thriller: The Dry by Jane Harper (Abacus)

• Narrative: Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge (Bloomsbury Circus)

• Lifestyle: 5 Ingredients by Jamie Oliver (Michael Joseph)

• Children's: The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane, illustrated by Jackie Morris (Penguin Random House Children's) and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (Walker Books)

• Audiobook: La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman, narrated by Michael Sheen (Penguin Random House UK Audio)

The judges of the British Book Awards, organised by The Bookseller, could not choose between two books in the children's category - and named them as joint winners.

Young adult novel The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas, tells the story of a 16-year-old drawn to activism after witnessing the police shooting of her unarmed friend.

Meanwhile, The Lost Words - an illustrated poem collection by Robert Macfarlane, illustrated by Jackie Morris - aimed to reconnect young children with natural world.