+++ 2012 Winners Announced +++

The winners of the 2012 Leeds Book Awards were revealed on 24th May 2012 at the Final ceremony at the Carriageworks Theatre in Leeds. For full details please see our events page.

+++ Second Leeds Graphic Novel Award +++

The 2nd Leeds Graphic Novel Award ceremony took place at Leeds Central Library on Friday 18th November.

This year 9 High Schools took part in the Awards - Leeds East Academy, Temple Moor, City of Leeds, Allerton High, Roundhay, Mount St Mary’s, David Young Community Academy, Morley Academy and Swallow Hill.

Book groups read and discussed the following 6 shortlisted books:

• Robin Etherington (author) and Lorenzo Etherington (illustrator): Monkey Nuts: The Diamond Egg of Wonders
• Mike Kunkel (author): Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam!
• Sarah McIntyre (author and illustrator): Vern and Lettuce
• Metaphrog (author and Illustrator): Louis – Night Salad
• David Peterson (author): Mouse Guard Vol 1: Legends of the Guard
• Jonathan Stroud (author) and Andrew Donkin (adapter): The Amulet of Samarkand

Around 60 young people came to the Awards ceremony to meet Robin and Lorenzo Etherington, Sarah McIntyre and John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs, the team behind Metaphrog. They all gave fascinating and entertaining presentations, detailing how they design and produce their books.

Dave Shelton, last year’s winner, was on hand to announce that Sarah McIntyre had won this year’s Award for Vern and Lettuce. Sarah was overjoyed!

Everyone had a great time – many thanks to Robin, Lorenzo, Sarah, John and Sandra for spending so much time chatting to the young people there, signing books, drawing pictures, having photos taken and looking at comics that some of the young people had produced themselves. Everyone had travelled a long way to be with us and their time and effort in coming to Leeds and preparing such brilliant presentations was much appreciated.

Also, many thanks to Lisa Wood, the Thought Bubble Comics Festival and everyone at Travelling Man comic bookshop for all their help and support and for working together with us to develop the Leeds Graphic Novel Award.

We can’t wait for next year’s Award! If you are interested in your school taking part in the Graphic Novel Awards, please contact Debbie Moody.

+++ 2011 Winners Announced +++

The winners of the 2011 Leeds Book Awards were revealed on Tuesday 24th May at the Final ceremony at Leeds Civic Hall. For full details please see our events page.

+++ Leeds Graphic Novel Award +++

We have just piloted a new category for the Leeds Book Awards – the Leeds Graphic Novel Award.

Seven High Schools took part – Parklands, Roundhay, Pudsey Grangefield, Temple Moor, Allerton High, David Young Academy and Mount St Mary's, with book groups reading and discussing the following six books:

• Kate Brown
  Spider Moon
• Evan Dorkin (author)
  Jill Thompson (artist)
  Beasts of Burden
• Ben Haggarty (author)
  Adam Brockbank (artist)
  Mezolith
• Charlie Higson (author)
  Kev Walker (illustrator)
  Silverfin: The Graphic Novel
• Eric Shanower (author)
  Skottie Young (artist)
  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
• Dave Shelton
  Good Dog, Bad Dog

Sixty young people came along to The Carriageworks on 19th November to meet four of the shortlisted artists – Kate Brown, Adam Brockbank, Dave Shelton and Kev Walker.

Dan Chernett, illustrator of Malice, the hugely popular winner of the Leeds Book Awards 2010 (11-14 category) was also there to announce the winner: Good Dog Bad Dog by Dave Shelton.

Dave was thrilled to win, although he admitted that he was totally stunned!

Many thanks to all the shortlisted artists who travelled a long way to come to the event.

This new category is organised as part of the Thought Bubble Comics Festival which takes place every November. We hope to be able to expand and develop the Leeds Graphic Novel Award over the next year.

If you are interested in your school taking part in the Graphic Novel Awards, please contact Debbie Moody.

+++ 2010 Winners Announced +++

The winners of the 2010 Leeds Book Awards were revealed on Tuesday 25th May at 2 awards ceremonies at Leeds Civic Hall. For full details please see our events page.

+++ Awards Ceremony 2010 +++

The 2010 Leeds Book Awards ceremonies will take place on Tuesday 25th May in the Banqueting Hall, Leeds Civic Hall, Millennium Square.

+++ 2010 Shortlist Announced +++

The shortlists for the three categories in the 2010 Leeds Book Awards have now been announced. For full details, please visit http://www.leedsbookawards.co.uk/2010/shortlists.php!

+++ 2009 Winners Announced +++

After weeks of anticipation the winners of the 2009 Leeds Book Awards were revealed at awards ceremonies at Trinity and All Saints College, Horsforth on Tuesday 19th May. See our events page for full details!

+++ Schools sign up to take part +++

Lots of schools have registered for the Leeds Book Awards 2009:

Primary Schools taking part this year are:

• Fieldhead Carr, Our Lady of Good Counsel RC, St Nicholas Gipton, Cookridge, Greenhill, Chapel Allerton, Morley Victoria, Kippax North, Oulton, Hugh Gaitskell, Blackgates, Blenheim, Aberford C of E, West End, Holy Trinity Horsforth, Green Lane, Hawksworth Wood, Austhorpe, Holy Family RC, Talbot, Thorp Arch Lady Hastings, Stanningley, Cottingley, Shire Oak, All Saints Otley, Alwoodley, Beecroft, Newlaithes, Ninelands, Pool C of E

High Schools taking part this year are:

• Boston Spa, Ossett, Roundhay, Wortley, Temple Moor, Guiseley, Benton Park, Otley Prince Henry, Parklands, Allerton Grange, Allerton High, Morley, City of Leeds, Primrose, Mount St Mary’s, Abbey Grange, Lawnswood, Wetherby, Intake, St Mary’s Menston, Ralph Thoresby

If you are a school interested in registering for the Leeds Book Awards 2010 and would like more information, please go to the Contact page.

+++ Awards Ceremony +++

Great news! Some of the shortlisted authors will be coming to our celebration day and Awards ceremonies on Tuesday 19th May.

Authors who have confirmed that they are coming so far are:

• Tim Bowler, Andy Briggs, Kevin Brooks, Pauline Francis, M G Harris, Catherine Johnson. Siobhan Dowd's sister will attend on behalf of her family and the Siobhan Dowd Trust.

We can also confirm that popular performance poet Craig Bradley (aka That Poetry Bloke) will be on hand again to entertain and guide us through the proceedings.

For more details about this event, see our Events page.

+++ Fantastic Competition! +++

We would like to give each of the authors who are coming to our ceremonies a special certificate to say thank you for attending and we want you to help to design them.

Here's what we need:

• The design needs to be on a piece of paper no bigger than A4
• It can be in colour
• The certificate should say Thank you for attending the Leeds Book Awards Ceremonies 2009
• There should be a line, space or box for us to write the author's name
• The certificate can be designed on a computer or by hand

Please send your design to one of the people on the Contact page along with your name, age, school and which Leeds Library you use, if you are a member.

The winning designs will be printed, framed and presented to the authors, and the winners will also receive a selection of fabulous books as prizes.

The closing date is Friday 19th April 2009.

So, get designing and good luck!