School pupils experience Junior Book Awards online thanks to Warwickshire Schools Library Service

Fourteen Primary and Junior schools from across Warwickshire have been taking part in the annual Junior Book Awards, which this year has been organised completely digitally by Warwickshire Schools Library Service (WSLS).

Over the last 10 weeks, pupils have been reading four shortlisted books, carefully selected by Warwickshire Schools Library Service to include some of the best books published in the preceding calendar year.

The shortlist comprised ‘Swimming Against the Storm’ by Jess Butterworth, ‘Runaway Robot’ by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, ‘Wildspark’ by Vashti Hardy and ‘D-Day Dog’ by Tom Palmer.

Warwickshire Schools Library Service worked with the publishers, authors and Warwickshire Libraries to ensure the books were as accessible as possible for pupils during the Covid-19 pandemic, which included increasing the number of e-book copies available for loan.

The Warwickshire Junior Book Awards usually culminate in a final award ceremony at the Bridgehouse Theatre in Warwick, where pupils and authors come together for a wonderful celebration of reading. Sadly, due to Covid-19, this was not possible this year.

However, pupils have now voted for their favourite book and Warwickshire Schools Library Service were delighted to share their Digital Book Award ceremony with participating schools on Wednesday 8th July.

Warwickshire Schools Library Service will shortly be finalising their longlist for the Year 9 Award that will take place in the Autumn term 2020.

Students will be actively involved in choosing the final four shortlisted books for this Award. They will then read the shortlist and vote for their favourite at the beginning of December 2020.  Warwickshire Schools Library Service are looking at new ways for students to engage and interact with the Award online as well as in person this year.  Their third and longest-standing award, the Warwickshire Secondary Book Award, will take place in the Spring Term of 2021 and is aimed at Years 7 and 8.