Recommended Reads
This is a list of books that have been highly recommended for or have featured on the Shropshire Bookfest Book Award shortlists since the project began in 2010. This list also lists books by authors who have been programmed onto the Schools’ Week programmes that have supported their creative writing workshops in primary schools across Shropshire.
Announcing the Shropshire Bookfest Big Book Award 2026 Winner!
Wow! What an amazing day! We filled Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury to the rafters with over 600 children...
Announcing the shortlist for Big Book Award 2026…
We are very excited to reveal the six books shortlisted for Big Book Award 2026. Each of...
BOOK NOW!
Book Award 2026: Calling all primary schools across Shropshire… It’s time to book your pupils onto the...
Announcing the Prizewinners in our Readers to Writers Creative Writing Competition 2025…
The Shropshire Bookfest Reading Panel has had a WONDERFUL time reading almost 1,000 books written by children...
Winner – Picture Book Award 2024
Over 1100 pupils from 28 primary schools voted for their favourite book from the Picture Book Award...
Shropshire Bookfest welcomes new Project Manager and Schools & Volunteer Co-ordinator
The Board of Trustees at Shropshire Bookfest are very pleased to welcome to the team Simone Goward...
‘Lost on Gibbon Island’ by Jess Butterworth wins Shropshire Bookfest’s Big Book Award 2024.
“In a climate where access to children’s books is under threat with the proposed closure of the...
An interview with Shropshire Bookfest on the Readers to Writers project
Bookfest was invited to join The Teacher Squad Podcast in March 2024 to showcase the Readers to...
New research endorses Shropshire Bookfest’s creative writing project
Schools should prioritise creative writing as an ‘enjoyable activity’ rather than using it as a means to...
A Welcome to the New Chair and Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees
Chris Tay takes over the reins as Chair of Trustees at Shropshire Bookfest, a position that was...
Literacy project “is pivotal in transforming pupils into writers…”
Whilst children’s enthusiasm is stirred by the magic brew of fun, inspiration and challenge at the heart...
A book for every pupil…
We are delighted to be able confirm that Bookfest is in a position to be able to...
Primary schools successfully renew their statuses as Leading in Reading ambassadors
Castlefields Primary School (Bridgnorth), Longden CE Primary School and Rushbury CE Primary School have demonstrated that they...
Funding success…
The Garfield Weston Foundation and the Wynn Foundation have confirmed their support for Shropshire Bookfest’s upcoming project...
A creative writing project with a sense of purpose
Primary schools across Shropshire are coming on board now with Bookfest for our Readers to Writers 2023 project and...
The 12th Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2022-2024
It was a very exciting day on Monday 4th July as Shropshire Bookfest travelled down to London...
Winner – Picture Book Award 2022
Over 1200 pupils from 26 primary schools voted for their favourite book from the Picture Book Award...
Wanted: Children’s authors and illustrators!
We are inviting submissions from inspirational children’s authors/illustrators to be part of our very popular, effective and...
“It’s like Ukraine” No Country wins the Shropshire Bookfest Big Book Award 2022
On Thursday morning 28th April 2022, Theatre Severn was packed to the rafters with children, teachers and...
The stage is set for a record breaking audience at the Big Book Award 2022 Awards Ceremony
On Thursday morning 28th April 2022, Theatre Severn will be packed to the rafters with children, teachers...
Book Award – a regional blueprint for inspiring children with a love of reading?
Year after year, the Shropshire Bookfest Book Award project succeeds in unlocking what many children perceive as...
Call for submissions to Picture Book Award 2026
Submissions are now open for titles to be put forward to the Shropshire Bookfest Picture Book Award...
Call for submissions to the Picture Book Award 2024
Submissions are now open for titles to be put forward to the Shropshire Bookfest Picture Book Award...
Call for submissions to the Picture Book Award 2022
Submissions are now open for titles to be put forward to the Shropshire Bookfest Picture Book Award...
Announcing the four beautiful books on the Picture Book Award 2024 shortlist
Very soon, classrooms across 28 Shropshire primary schools will be filled with a shortlist of some fabulous,...
Announcing the six books on the Big Book Award 2024 shortlist
Very soon, classrooms across 32 Shropshire primary schools will be flooded by a shortlist of contemporary, exciting...
Announcing the six books on the Big Book Award 2022 shortlist
Very soon, classrooms in Shropshire primary schools will be flooded by a shortlist of contemporary, exciting and...
Book your primary school onto BOOK AWARD 2022
We are delighted and excited to be able to open the booking system for primary schools across...
Biking for Bookfest!
It’s been a busy summer and looks to be an even busier few months ahead for the...
Changing our name to reflect our reach
With our projects each year reaching right across the county of Shropshire, we work with over 40...
Calling all children’s authors, illustrators and publishers…
…send in your submissions to the Big Book Award 2024 longlist NOW! Shropshire Bookfest’s Book Awards is...
Call for Submissions to Shropshire Bookfest Book Awards 2022
Shropshire Bookfest’s Book Awards is a child-led reading development initiative delivered into Shropshire primary schools every two...
Land’s End to John O’Groats – DONE and DUSTED!
Chair of Shrewsbury Bookfest Trustees, Sophie Peach, and her husband Huw arrived in John O’Groats on Saturday...
Land’s End to John O’Groats
Chair of Shrewsbury Bookfest Trustees, Sophie Peach, is in en route from one end of the country...
Winners of the Schools’ Week 2021 Creative Writing Competition are announced
Inspired by the fantastic workshops delivered into classrooms by leading children’s authors at earlier in the year,...
“Miss…I never liked English before we did this (Schools’ Week 2021)”
Year 6 teacher, Corinne Davies-Griffith divulged this piece of news to the world from one of her...
Schools’ Week 2021 sets out to discover the authors of the future with its creative writing initiative.
Schools’ Week 2021 is a 6 month long project that began in January 2021 and offers primary...
Schools’ Week 2021 – creative writing competition gets underway
So we are nearing the end of the Schools’ Week 2021 project. Over 1300 primary school pupils...
The shortlist for the Picture Book Award 2020
From over 60 beautiful picture books submitted to the longlist, through to an irresistible list of 9...
The shortlist for the Picture Book Award 2020 will be announced VERY soon…
With the help of some passionate and persuasive readers at 9 local primary schools, we are able...
Coronavirus Update Picture Book Award 2020
We are conscious that the ongoing situation caused by the Coronavirus is causing continued changes to everyone’s...
Art CPD for Teachers
To support teachers in the production of fantastic entries to this year’s Book Award 2020 Art Competition,...
Latest Primary School to Gain Accreditation
November 2023 saw Cheswardine Primary & Nursery School the latest primary school in Shropshire to be awarded...
Four Shropshire Primary Schools gain Accreditation
Rushbury CE, Longden CE, Greenacres and Castlefields (Bridgnorth) primary schools have each been awarded a Leading in...
Big Book Award 2020 Shortlist is announced…
Over 1100 copies of books from the Bookfest Book Award shortlist will soon fill the classrooms of...
‘Fizzlingly fantastic’ creative writing conference for teachers
On 16 November 2022, teachers, librarians, literacy leaders from the 29 primary schools taking part in Readers...
‘Unlocking the Power of Stories’ Conference Report
Teachers, librarians, literacy leaders from all 40 primary schools taking part in Book Award 2020 spent the...
Primary schools in stampede to sign up to Shrewsbury Bookfest’s Book Award 2020…
The latest Shrewsbury Bookfest Book Award project for primary schools in Shropshire has been snapped up by...
Book Award 2020 is up and running…
If you think your school would like to be part of projects like this in the future...
Call for Submissions to Shrewsbury Bookfest Book Awards 2020
Shrewsbury Bookfest’s Book Awards is a child-led reading development initiative delivered into Shropshire primary schools every two...
Funding boost for Book Award 2020 project…
Shrewsbury Bookfest’s flagship project ‘Book Award‘ for Shropshire Primary Schools has just won substantial funding from the...
Book Award 2020 is getting ready to launch!
“The project encourages children to read novels they would not normally venture into. It stretches the most...
WINNERS of the Creative Writing Competition 2019
Dame Jacqueline Wilson led the prize giving ceremony at a public event in The Square, Shrewsbury on...
We are….21 years old!
When Shrewsbury Bookfest organised its very first May Festival in 1998, it was the only literature festival...
Pity of War Concert DVD now available…
You are now able to watch again, share and remember the very special concert that took place...
Packed house for the Bookfest Creative Writing Conference
100 teachers gathered at University Centre Shrewsbury on 14 November to mark the launch of the Bookfest...
My subject is war and the pity of war…
Shropshire-born Wilfred Owen is regarded as the finest poet of World War one. Tragically at the age...
A reflective study day on the Literature & Art of the First World War
The University Centre Shrewsbury very kindly hosted our Study Day on 31 October.
Children Remember the First World War with author, Hilary Robinson
Children’s author Hilary Robinson visited Button & Bear Bookshop in Shrewsbury on 20th October 2018 to introduce her latest...
‘Creative Writing Conference’ 14 Nov 2018
‘Creative Writing Conference’ 14 November 2018 at University Centre, Guildhall, Frankwell, Shrewsbury SY3 8HQ 9am – 4pm...
NEW and exciting creative writing initiative for Schools’ Week 2019
Recent feedback from primary schools from across Shropshire prompted us to perform a detailed review of the...
A quick look back at Book Award 2018
Take a look at this short film we have produced which outlines the work, impact and success...
Calling all children’s authors and illustrators!
Recent feedback from primary schools from across Shropshire prompted us to perform a detailed review of the...
“Dear Dinosaur” WINS the Picture Book Award 2018
An original and thoroughly entertaining picture book about a dinosaur and a 6-year-old fan who strike up...
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