News and Events

2017 Award ceremonies

Leeds Book Awards Primary Awards May 2017

Leeds Book Awards started in 2009 and has evolved into a successful city wide initiative, run jointly between Leeds School Library Service and Leeds Public Libraries. The Award is now a fantastic opportunity for pupils aged  9- 11, 11-14 and 14-16 to take part and vote for the best children’s and young people’s books published in the last year.

The Primary 9-11 age group Awards Ceremony was held at Pudsey Civic Hall in May, and once again proved to be a big hit with 500 children from 75 primary schools.

 

The Ceremony is the culmination for the children of months of reading and reviewing the 6 shortlisted titles, and then voting for their favourite. It is entirely the children’s choice which book wins the Award.

This year’s winner was Fleur Hitchcock with Murder in Midwinter. It was her first award and her book is a thriller, which isn’t a genre most people think of as suitable for children. Obviously, not the case here!

Winner Fleur Hitchcock

With many of the authors in attendance the children were then given the fantastic opportunity to meet their favourite author and have their books signed. Organised chaos and bedlam reigns at this point in the Ceremony, but it is so amazing to see so many children buzzing with excitement at meeting their favourite authors. A never to be forgotten moment!

Studio 12 captured the mayhem in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYwji5Hs3ps

 

One of the authors Jo Cotterill wrote this brilliant blog about her memory of a super day…

https://jocotterill.com/2017/05/17/lovely-leeds-book-awards/

Information about the Awards and the reviews submitted by the school children can be read along with the information about all the shortlisted authors on www.leedsbookawards.co.uk

Photographs from 2017 Primary Award Ceremony

Winner Fleur Hitchcock

Photographs from 11-14 Age Category Ceremony 2017

2016 winners announced

Posted on 21 Jun 2016 at 09:17
by Pauline Thresh

The favourite books of Leeds’ school children have been given a seal of approval as part of two special ceremonies held in the city this month.

The 2016 Leeds Book Awards once again proved to be a big hit with over 800 children from 67 primary schools and 21 high schools packing into Pudsey Civic Hall to find out which books and authors would be named as the winners in the 9-11, 11-14 and 14-16 age categories.  As part of the Leeds Book Awards, young people also have the chance to vote for their own particular favourite after reading, reviewing and discussing each shortlisted book, and tension was high before the individual winners were revealed.

Taking the honours in the 9-11 category was Gill Lewis with Gorilla Dawn, while in the 11-14 category, Andrew Norriss was named as the winner for Jessica’s Ghost. Triumphing in the 14-16 category was Lisa Williamson with The Art of Being Normal.

With the winners names revealed and many of the authors also in attendance, children were then given the chance to not only meet their favourite writer but also leave with a treasured memento by having their books signed. Reviews submitted by the school children can be read along with the information about all the shortlisted authors on www.leedsbookawards.co.uk

Councillor Debra Coupar, Leeds City Council executive member for communities, said:

“The enthusiasm and passion that so many of our young people have for the Leeds Book Awards really is inspiring, and once again the two events held this year really were something not to be missed.

“The power of a good book to stir our young people’s imagination and creativity can never be underestimated, and what is lovely about this event is that many of the nominees attend the Leeds Book Awards, which is so inspiring.

2015 Award Winners

Posted on 21 May 2015 at 17:00
by Leeds Libraries

Over 800 Children and Young People from 20 high schools and 54 primary schools packed into Pudsey Civic Hall in two events to celebrate their favourite authors and books of the last year in the 9-11, 11-14 and 14-16 age categories.

In total, a whopping 1563 reviews were posted onto this website and 781 votes were counted from across the city as young people avidly read and discussed each shortlisted book before choosing their own winner in each respective category.

With many of the shortlisted authors in attendance, tension was high as the golden envelopes containing the names of the winners were opened on the stage.

The Winners for 2015 are:

  • 9-11 category: A Room Full of Chocolate by Jane Elson
  • 11-14 category: Smart by Kim Slater
  • 14-16 category: Web of Darkness by Bali Rai

2015 Shortlists Announced

Posted on 15 Jan 2015 at 18:49
by Leeds Libraries

The shortlists for the 2015 Leeds Book Awards have been announced.

Is the book you suggested on the shortlist? We look forward to receiving your reviews on the website.

2014 Winners Announced

Posted on 26 May 2014 at 18:50
by Leeds Libraries

As part of the 2014 Leeds Book Awards, over 700 children from 50 primary schools and 18 high schools packed into Pudsey Civic Hall and Leeds Civic Hall in two events to celebrate their favourite authors and books of the last year in the 9-11, 11-14 and 14-16 age categories. In total, 60 primary schools and 20 high schools from across the city participated in the awards, which saw young people avidly reading and discussing each shortlisted book before choosing their own winner in each respective category.

With many of the shortlisted authors in attendance, tension was high as the golden envelopes containing the names of the winners were opened on the stage.

The Winners for 2014 were:

  • 9 – 11: Wild Boy by Rob Lloyd Jones
  • 11 – 14: Geek Girl by Holly Smale
  • 14 – 16: Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher