HUNDREDS of pages were devoured by a high school’s literary group before they selected their favourite books for the prestigious Carnegie Medal.
Twelve students from Years 10 to 7 from Haslingden High School, were given copies of the eight books that had been selected for The Yoto Carnegies.
Four awards were being decided: the illustrators and writers Carnegie Medals, chosen by children’s librarians and the Shadowers’ Choice, selected by high school students.
Although this year, for the first time, students could attend the award ceremony at Cambridge Theatre in London, it was not possible for Haslingden High to go so Librarian and English teacher Yasmine Choudry held a special ceremony for the students, with cake and soft drinks and a viewing of the awards.
One of the students Suhani Khanwalkar had read all eight shortlisted books and her favourite was The Song Walker by Zillah Bethell.
Suhani, 14, said: “I had found I was not reading as much and so having these books to read and review meant I had a goal and now I try to read two books a week.”
She said she liked The Song Walker, set in the Australian outback, as it was about two girls, one of whom had lost her memory. She said: “It was a very positive book and I found it very easy reading.”
Steady for This – by Nathanael Lessore was the best book according to Charlie Edmondson.
He said: “The book is about a rapper MC Growls. This was a fast read and I read it in five days. It was the second book of the selection that I read and it is suitable for children aged Year 6 and above.”
Jack Green, 12, picked The Door of No Return as his winner – a story written in verse that looks at the history of slavery.
He said: “Reading takes me to a new world and gives me new information and helps me learn new words and just think about concepts.”
Very popular was Safiyyah’s War, by Hiba Noor Khan, a true story of the role of the Grand Central Mosque in Paris. Told through the eyes of an 11-year-old Muslim girl, the readers learn how the mosque helped the Jewish community.
Jyoti Devi, 15, said: “It was very interesting and gave a different perspective on the Second World War.”
Ava Fallon, 12, also listed Safiyyah’s War as the best. She said: “I felt quite a lot of sympathy for the characters as they were going through a lot.”
When the results were announced for the illustrator, both the Shadowers’ Choice and Carnegie Medal went to The Tree and The River by Aaron Becker.
While the writer Shadowers’ Choice was Crossing the Line by Tia Fisher, a book none of the Haslingden High students had picked, the writer Carnegie Medal went to The Boy Lost in the Maze by Joseph Coelho, which delighted Faye Leach.
Faye, 12, said: “I liked how when you read this book you can interact with it and you can follow your own story as it gives you options and you choose what happens next.”