+++ Leeds Book Awards 2009 Winners Announced +++

The winners of the 2009 Leeds Book awards have been announced!!

Yes, after weeks of anticipation the winners were revealed at awards ceremonies at Trinity and All Saints College, Horsforth on Tuesday 19th May.

The winners are:

• 9-11 category: Shadow Forest by Matt Haig
• 11-14 category: Blood Ties by Sophie McKenzie
• Breezereads 14-16 category: Before I Die by Jenny Downham

Hundreds of pupils from local schools came along to help us celebrate all the shortlisted books, so a huge thank you to everyone from the following:

Primary Schools - Fieldhead Carr, St Nicholas, Cookridge, Greenhill, Chapel Allerton, Morley Victoria, Oulton, Blackgates, Hawksworth Wood, Austhorpe, Thorp Arch Lady Hastings, Stanningley, Cottingley, Alwoodley, Newlaithes, Sharper Lane, Ninelands, Pool, Beecroft

High Schools - City of Leeds, Primrose, Boston Spa, Ossett, Roundhay, Temple Moor, Otley Prince Henry, Parklands, Allerton Grange, Morley, St Mary’s Menston

Special thanks go to the schools who gave presentations on the shortlisted books:

Chapel Allerton, Alwoodley, Stanningley, Cookridge, Ninelands, Roundhay, St Mary’s Menston, Allerton Grange, Morley High, Temple Moor, City of Leeds, Boston Spa, Parklands, Otley Prince Henry

Also a big thank you to Craig Bradley who hosted the ceremonies, Denise Dowd and her family and all the authors who came along and helped to make the day a big success – Andy Briggs, Catherine Johnson, Sophie McKenzie, Marcus Sedgwick, MG Harris, Kevin Brooks, Tim Bowler and Pauline Francis.

• Winning author Sophie McKenzie was on hand to receive her award and meet lots of her fans.
• Unfortunately Matt Haig and Jenny Downham were unable to join us for the celebrations but they sent us the following statements:

Matt Haig

• "I am so, so pleased to have won this category and even happier that it means quite a few of you must have enjoyed Shadow Forest! It was a real honour to be even considered for the Leeds Book Awards because Leeds is one of my favourite cities in the world and where I went to university and lived for many years. I truly wanted to be there today but my wife has just given birth to a baby girl and I am knee deep in nappies. Thanks again, and keep reading!!"

Jenny Downham

• "A few weeks ago I heard that Before I Die had been nominated for the Leeds Book Awards. I was so very excited that young people in schools across Leeds would be reading, reviewing and voting for their favourite books, and that my book would be amongst them.
  
  Before I Die took nearly three years to write. It’s my first book and I wrote almost every day. No-one had heard of me or knew I was writing it, and all I ever hoped for was that one day it might be published and that my story would be heard.
  
  To have won my category in this prestigious award is amazing. It was such a strong shortlist and I’m deeply honoured.
  
  I'm sorry I can't be there today, but its the very same date that I had agreed to be a judge for a competition for debut children's novelists, and although I tried, the date absolutely couldn't be changed.
  
  I hope you all have a wonderful time celebrating the joy of reading. Thank you so much to those who read the book, and to those who voted for it."

All the attending authors received certificates designed by local school children, so thank you to Eleanor and Sophie from Kippax North Primary, Georgia from Ninelands Primary, Alicia from Hawksworth Wood Primary, Alexandra from Talbot Primary and Ella from Roundhay High.

Leeds Book Awards 2010 - Have Your Say

We are always on the lookout for books to include for the next Leeds Book Awards, so if you read anything in 2009 that you'd like to nominate for the Leeds Book Awards 2010 then we'd like to hear from you.

Nominations can be e-mailed to us at one of the addresses on the contacts page.

Please remember to say which school you are from and who you are as well as which author/s and book/s you would like to nominate.

See you all next year at the Leeds Book Awards 2010!

+++ Breezereads Goes to the Movies +++

Breezereads is teaming up with Leeds Young People's Film Festival for two great events over the Easter holidays.

This year we have some great events lined up with Mark Morris, author of a new Hellboy graphic novel. Come along and meet him and watch one of the Hellboy films. Also, meet bestselling author Louise Rennison. Come along to a special screening of Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and meet Louise to find out how a book changes from page to screen.

For the latest info on these events go to the film festival website: www.leedsyoungfilm.co.uk

Or check out Breezereads at www.breezeleeds.org/breezereads.ikml.

+++ Robert Muchamore Event +++

Robert Muchamore, author of the bestselling CHERUB books, will be in Leeds on the afternoon of Friday 13th February 2009.

He will be at the Carriageworks Theatre for a special free schools event for Year 7 and 8 pupils.

Robert will be talking about his new book, Escape. It's the first in a brand new series, Henderson's Boys, which follows the original CHERUB agents in WW2.

You could be some of the first people in the country to find out about Henderson's Boys!

For more information about the series, visit www.hendersonsboys.com.

If you would like to book free places, please contact Clare Mitchell or James Loosely at Waterstones: Tel: 244 4588

+++ Shortlisted Author Chris Higgins to visit Leeds +++

Chris Higgins, who is shortlisted for the 11-14 Award, will be appearing at Waterstones in Leeds on Tuesday 10th February at 2.00 pm for a free schools event.

If you would like to bring a group along to meet Chris, please contact either Clare Mitchell or James Loosely at Waterstones to make a booking (Tel. 244 4588).

+++ Leeds Book Awards 2008 Winners Announced +++

After much anticipation, the winning authors were revealed at Trinity and All Saints College, Horsforth.

• 9-11 category: Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
• 11-14 category: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

250 young people from 21 of the participating schools came along to share their enthusiasm and meet some of the shortlisted authors - Jenny Valentine, Pauline Francis, Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams, Rhiannon Lassiter, Cathy Cassidy and Kjartan Poskitt.

Poet Craig Bradley hosted the proceedings and kept everyone entertained while the tension built up towards the announcement of the winners.

Huge thanks to all 470 young people in the 15 high schools, 15 primary schools and library book groups who took part in the Awards by reading, discussing and voting on the shortlisted books.

Roll on Leeds Book Awards 2009!