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Children's author snubs Amazon-sponsored award

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By John Glenday, Reporter

July 11, 2014 | 2 min read

Celebrated children's author Allan Ahlberg has snubbed a lifetime achievement award - after learning it was sponsored by Amazon.

The Booktrust lifetime achievement award was to have been bestowed on the author for work including Peach Pear Plum, co-authored with his late wife, only for Ahlberg adopted his moral stance in response to the internet giants penchant for tax avoidance.

In a letter to the Bookseller magazine outlining his concerns Ahlberg said: "Tax, fairly applied to us all, is a good thing. It pays for schools, hospitals - libraries! When companies like Amazon cheat—paying 0.1 per cent on billions, pretending it is earning money not in the UK, but in Luxembourg - that’s a bad thing.

"Amazon’s baleful influence on the British book trade is frequently referred to—see also what’s happening with Hachette in America—but it is its position as “The UK’s No1 Tax Avoider” (Ethical Consumer) that bothers me.”

Booktrust chief executive Viv Bird responded: "Booktrust works with a wide range of partners in order to fulfil our charitable aim of bringing books to children and children to books.

“Amazon’s sponsorship of the Best Book Awards, in its inaugural year, enabled us to celebrate some of the best of children’s literature, create a buzz around books, and make a significant contribution to our mission of encouraging more children to read.”

Ahlberg had been due to present the award - and collect a £5k cheque - at the inaugural Booktrust Best Book Awards on 2 July.

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