Submissions are now open for titles to be put forward to the Shropshire Bookfest Picture Book Award 2022.

Shropshire Bookfest is now ready to launch its PICTURE BOOK AWARD 2022 for our primary schools across Shropshire for their Key Stage 1 pupils in RECEPTION, YEAR 1 and YEAR 2.

Run every two years, this reading for pleasure project for this age group is now set to reach 1,266 pupils from 25 primary schools.

The following criteria apply:

Title(s) to have been first published in the UK between 1st January 2021 and 31st December 2021.

Fiction titles only.

Author and illustrator must be resident in the UK.

Books must be suitable for ages Reception through to Year 2.

Stand-alone titles – characters may form a series of books but each story to be stand-alone.

Maximum number of submissions – 5 titles per publisher/imprint.

Submissions to be available in paperback by April 2022.

Deadline:

We would be grateful if publishers could supply three copies of each nominated title by Tuesday 1st March 2022.

Please send nominated titles to: Joanna Hughes, The Old Greyhound, 20 Main Road, Dorrington, Shropshire, SY5 7JW

Timeline:

(We have consulted with schools and have carefully programmed this project in order to make time allowances for KS2 SATS – KS2 children will be helping KS1 children read the books – and KS1 phonics screening tests).

1st March 2022: Closing date for submissions for the longlist.

6th May 2022: Announcement of shortlist (reading groups from a select group of local primary schools will choose the shortlist of 4 titles from the publishers’ submissions).

June 2022: Children from all participating schools across Shropshire will read and vote for the winning title.

11th July 2022: The winner of the Shropshire Bookfest Picture Book Award will be announced. All schools will be encouraged to run special assemblies during this week to celebrate the winner and the project.

Key Facts about the Shropshire Bookfest Picture Book Award Project

25 primary schools across Shropshire are participating in the Picture Book Award 2022.

1,266 children will be involved in the project.

Number of titles that will go through to the Picture Book Award 2022 shortlist: 4

1,012 copies of shortlisted titles will be purchased by the Shropshire Bookfest Picture Book Award 2022 project for participating schools.

The project is funded by a combination of charitable trusts and foundations, by participating schools and delivered by Shropshire Bookfest.

Shropshire Bookfest is a registered charity, holder of the Queen’s Award for Excellence and is run by a group of professional volunteers and two (self-employed) co-ordinators.

The shortlist for Picture Book Award 2020 was as follows:

The Runaway Pea by Kjartan Poskitt and illustrated by Alex Wilmore, published by Simon & Schuster (winner).

Show & Tell by Rob Biddulph, published by HarperCollins Children’s Books

I am a Tiger by Karl Newson and Ross Collins, published by MacMillan Children’s Books.

Ravi’s Roar by Tom Percival, published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

Any questions, queries etc. please do get in touch.  Thank you in advance for your support of our work and for helping so many children develop a life-long love of reading.

Contact:  Joanna Hughes – Project Co-ordinator joanna.hughes@shropshirebookfest.co.uk – 07719 401365