The Costa Book Awards is unique in that it awards books in five different categories rather than just fiction: First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children’s Book. The winner of each category is awarded with £5000, and then the winner of the overall Book of the Year receives an additional £30,000.

From its introduction in 1971 until 1985, the Costa Book Awards were known as the Whitbread Literary Awards. In 1985, they became known as The Whitbread Book Awards, and in 2006 Costa Coffee took over ownership. Winners of the prize have included The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon, The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman, Day by A.L.Kennedy, The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry, The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney, Behind The Scenes At The Museum by Kate Atkinson and Small Island by Andrea Levy.

The 2010 Costa Book winners were:

Costa Novel Award

The Hand That First Held Mine Maggie O’Farrell

Costa First Novel Award

Witness the Night Kishwar Desai

Costa Biography Award

The Hare With Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance Edmund de Waal

Costa Poetry Award

Of Mutability Jo Shapcott

Costa Children’s Book Award

Out of Shadows Jason Wallace

The 2010 Costa Book of the Year was awarded to Jo Shapcott for her collection of poetry, Of Mutability.