…send in your submissions to the Big Book Award 2024 longlist NOW!
Shropshire Bookfest’s Book Awards is a child-led reading development initiative delivered into Shropshire primary schools every two years, for two age groups:
The Big Book Award for children aged 9 – 11 years, and
Picture Book Award for 5 – 7 year olds (call for submissions to the Picture Book Award will go out in January 2024).
In September this year, Shropshire Bookfest launches this project for the 8th time to Shropshire primary schools. This highly regarded project offers not just an impactful reading for pleasure initiative but an opportunity for schools to stock their libraries with contemporary children’s books and a series of book-related activities designed to capture pupils’ imaginations, build their confidence and develop their skills in reading and critical analysis.
We will be funding a book for EVERY CHILD taking part in Book Award 2024. This could see over 3,000 titles flooding primary schools across Shropshire.
“Shropshire Bookfest is quite unlike any other regional book award. Child led and centred, it generates not only a very healthy order sheet for each title, but a response from young readers that beats hands down anything I’ve ever experienced at other awards for its passion, imagination and creativity.” Piers Torday, Shropshire Bookfest Patron & Book Award shortlisted author.”
‘Big Book Award’ Entry Criteria:
Original fiction title(s) to have been first published in the UK/Republic of Ireland, in the English language, between 1st August 2022 and 31st July 2023.
Author must be resident in the UK.
Titles must be suitable for ages 9 to 11.
Stand-alone titles only. Should you be really keen to submit a title that is part of a series please carefully use your judgment on whether it can stand alone and truly be read and enjoyed on its own or not.
Title(s) must be available in paperback by 31st October 2023.
Maximum number of submissions – 5 titles per publisher/imprint.
You must be able to fulfil an order that will be placed on 1st November 2023 of approximately 250 paperback copies should your submitted title(s) go through to the shortlist.
Please supply three copies of each nominated title by 1st September 2023.
Please send nominated titles to: Joanna Hughes, The Old Greyhound, 20 Main Road, Dorrington, Shropshire, SY5 7JW. joanna.hughes@shropshirebookfest.co.uk 07719 401365
‘Big Book Award’ Timeline:
1st September 2023: Closing date for submissions to the longlist. (Year 6 readers from selected local primary schools will choose a shortlist of 6 titles from the longlist ensuring the process is child-led from the start.)
Early November 2023: The shortlist will be announced and the order placed with Waterstones Shrewsbury.
January to March 2024: Pupils from all participating schools across Shropshire will read and respond to the shortlist, enter into the associated competitions (art, creative writing, drama and film trailer), comment on and vote for the winning title and author.
Tuesday 30th April 2024: The winner of the Shropshire Bookfest Book Award will be announced at an Awards Ceremony to be held at Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury. All shortlisted authors must be available to attend the Awards Ceremony. All schools taking part in the project will be invited. Those schools unable to attend the Ceremony will have the event live-screened into their classrooms.
Key Facts About Big Book Award:
The Shropshire Bookfest Book Award project for primary schools was first launched in 2010, and has run since every two years, increasing its reach and complexity each time.
Total number of participating primary schools in Book Award 2022: 46 primary schools
Total number of participating pupils in Book Award 2022: 3,066 pupils
Number of titles on ‘Big’ Book Award shortlist: 6 titles
Total number of copies of shortlisted titles purchased by the Bookfest Book Award project in 2022: 2,326 copies.
Past winners: David Walliams – The Boy in the Dress (2010), Liz Pichon – Tom Gates (2012), Megan Rix – The Bomber Dog (2014) Jane Elson – How to Fly with Broken Wings (2016), Kieran Larwood – The Legend of Podkin One-Ear(2018), Ben Davis – What’s That in Dog Years? (2020), Patrice Aggs & Joe Brady – No Country (2022).
The project is funded by a combination of trusts and foundations and by participating schools.
Registered Charity Number: 1120177
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