The picture book, which encourages its readers to notice things around them as they walk from place to place, was one of 15 divisional winners picked from the society’s 70 worldwide regions.
It has also been shortlisted for the 2013 Environment Award for Children’s Literature.
Ms McKinlay said she was honoured by the win.
‘SCBWI is an organisation that has meant a lot to me over the years, both personally and professionally and it is a really lovely thing to have my work awarded by this wonderful community,’ she said.
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READ NOW‘At its core, Ten Tiny Things is a book about living slowly and I think that’s a very simple idea which has a powerful resonance at the moment.’
‘I also think Kyle Hughes-Odger’s illustrations are perfect for the book and are utterly striking, really unlike anything else that is around.’
The Crystal Kite is the only peer-assessed award in publishing for young readers, with members voting for the book they think represents excellence in children’s literature.