Book Awards
Warwickshire Junior Book Award 2024: Shortlist Revealed!
We are very excited to announce the shortlist for the 2024 Warwickshire Junior Book Award. 
These are some of the best books published over the last year. The annual award takes place during the summer term and is aimed at years 5/6 and is open to all schools across Warwickshire and neighbouring regions. Pupils read the shortlisted books and vote for their favourite at the end of June. We invite all pupils and authors to our final book award ceremony in July 2024. This is a wonderful way to promote a love of reading and inspire and engage young readers. The shortlist this year is:
- Finn Jones Was Here by Simon James Green
- Safiyyah's War by Hiba Noor Khan
- The Swifts by Beth Lincoln
- The Storm Swimmer by Clare Weze
For more information or to take part, please email schoolslibraryservice@warwickshire.gov.uk
Winner of Warwickshire Secondary Book Award 2024 announced!
We had a wonderful time celebrating all of the shortlisted books at our Final Award Ceremony on Wednesday 20th March 2024. We were delighted to be joined by hundreds of students from across Warwickshire and 3 of the shortlisted authors; Anthony McGowan, SF Said and Nathanael Lessore. It was lovely to hear the inspiration behind their books, their experiences as writers and many amusing tales. Students were also able to hear their questions kindly answered via videos from authors Lily Bailey and Alex Bell. We were also joined by May Vaughan, Warwickshire Young Poet Laureate who performed a selection of her own poems ending with a lovely reminder that we are all good at something and to follow our passions whatever they are.
The winning book, voted for by students, was 'When I See Blue' by Lily Bailey. The book shares a touching and honest fictional story about obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and explores the power of friendship as 12-year-old character Ben learns how to live with OCD and find ways to manage his condition.
Photo: Authors SF Said, Nathanael Lessore and Anthony McGowan with the SLS Team.
Thank you to all the schools that took part and to the all the authors for their support. Thank you to Kings High School for hosting our event and to Warwick Books for selling books to students.
If you would like more information about our book awards or the other ways Warwickshire Schools Library Service support reading for pleasure and learning, please email schoolslibraryservice@warwickshire.gov.uk
Secondary Book Award 2024!
We are delighted to announce the shortlist for our Secondary Book Award 2024. Congratulations to all the shortlisted authors and thanks to all the team and secondary school librarians who helped pick the shortlist. The students are certainly in for a treat!
- The Door Of No Return by Kwame Alexander
- When I See Blue by Lily Bailey
- The Lighthouse by Alex Bell
- Steady For This by Nathanael Lessore
- Dogs Of The Deadlands by Anthony McGowan
- Tyger by SF Said
Students read the six shortlisted books and vote for their favourite in mid-March 2024.The winner is decided purely by student votes, which makes it really special. We will be hosting a final award ceremony on 20th March 2024, where all students taking part and authors are invited to attend. We are looking forward to it already...
For more information, please email schoolslibraryservice@warwickshire.gov.uk
Teen Book Award Shortlist 2023!
We are delighted to announce that the students have voted for their 2023 Teen Book Award shortlist. Congratulations to all the shortlisted authors and thank you to all the fabulous longlisted authors too for their support.
The 2023 shortlist is:
Promise Boys by Nick Brooks
With Fire In Their Blood by Kat Delacorte
Tag, You're Dead by Kathryn Foxfield
HappyHead by Josh Silver
For more information, email: schoolslibraryservice@warwickshire.gov.uk
Warwickshire Teen Book Award (WTBA) 2023 Longlist
We are delighted to announce our nominations for the WTBA 2023. Alongside a group of experienced and impassioned secondary school librarians, we read and reviewed a wide variety of books to create this year's longlist. In September, the pupils read and select their favourite books and we announce the winner in December 2023.
The nominations are:
- Good for Nothing by Mariam Ansar
- Promise Boys by Nick Brooks
- The Girl Who Broke the Sea by A. Connors
- With Fire in Their Blood by Kat Delacorte
- Crossing the Line by Tia Fisher
- Tag, You're Dead by Kathryn Foxfield
- How Far We've Come by Joyce Efia Harmer
- As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
- Steady for This by Nathanael Lessore
- Happy Head by Josh Silver
If you would like to get involved, please email us at schoolslibraryservice@warwickshire.gov.uk
Warwickshire Junior Book Award (WJBA) 2023 Winner
Warwickshire Schools Library Service are delighted to announce the 2023 Junior Book Award Winner for primary pupils in Years 5 and 6 (#WJBA2023). Our experienced team carefully selected the shortlist which is handed over to pupils who then read four of the most exciting books published during 2022 and then vote for their favourite towards the end of June 2023.
From the shortlist of 'The Whisperling' by Hayley Hoskins, 'Grandpa Frank's Great Big Bucket List' by Jenny Pearson, 'The Unmorrow Curse' by Jasmine Richards and 'Ajay and the Mumbai Sun' by Varsha Shah, this year's winner is:
- The Unmorrow Curse by Jasmine Richards
- Many CONGRATULATIONS go to Jasmine Richards and illustrators Pypah Santos and Jill Tytherleigh, along with the team at UCLan Publishing.
This award takes place every year and is open to all schools to take part.
The WJBA supports the curriculum (and Ofsted initiatives) in the following areas:
• Promotes reading for pleasure and encourages book chat
• Encourages literacy across the curriculum due to the subject nature of the books
• Provides an opportunity for pupils to have an independent choice of reading material
• Introduces pupils to a new range of authors and texts, supporting their wider reading opportunities
Benefits of taking part:
• Reading and voting on four top reads (pupils really do decide the winner!)
• Open discussions, often pupil led
• Teachers/librarians as co-readers (a wonderful opportunity for modelling!)
• Teacher toolkit to help pupils make the most of taking part
• Exciting competitions to enter
• WJBA shortlist posters and bookmarks for your school/pupils.
• Invitation to our Final Awards Ceremony at The Bridge House Theatre, Warwick.
If you would like more information about how to take part, please email schoolslibraryservice@warwickshire.gov.uk
Warwickshire Teen Book Award (WTBA) 2022 Winner
The students took part in speed shortlisting events during September and voted for their favourite books. During an award ceremony in December, our winner was announced .....
Many congratulations to
'The Outlaws Scarlett & Browne' by Jonathan Stroud
To find out more about the shortlisted authors, click on the links below:
Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
The Upper World by Femi Fadugba
The Outlaws Scarlett & Browne by Jonathan Stroud
Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor
For more information, please contact: schoolslibraryservice@warwickshire.gov.uk
Warwickshire Secondary Book Award (WSBA) 2023 Winner
During an award ceremony in March, our Secondary Book Award winner was announced .....
Many congratulations to:
'Dread Wood' by Jennifer Killick
Congratulations to all of the authors involved and with thanks to all the schools, their staff and pupils, for supporting our Award.
For more information, please contact: schoolslibraryservice@warwickshire.gov.uk
If you would like more information about our book awards or other ways we support schools with reading for pleasure and learning then please get in touch. Email: schoolslibraryservice@warwickshire.gov.uk
WJBA Previous Winners
We are very proud of our three Warwickshire Book Awards, which we run annually. Our trained and experienced library team carefully select the shortlisted books. Pupils/students read these books and vote for their favourite. The winner is decided solely by them, and we think this makes our Awards special! Schools from across Warwickshire take part and are invited to the Final Award Ceremony for two of the Awards (WJBA and WSBA), where we invite the shortlisted authors to attend. This is always a lovely event and a fantastic celebration of reading that we hope inspires young people across Warwickshire.
The Awards are aimed at the following year groups:
- Warwickshire Junior Book Award (WJBA): Years 5/6 (Summer Term)
- Warwickshire Secondary Book Award (WSBA): Years 7/8 (Spring Term)
- Warwickshire Teen Book Award (WTBA): Year 9 (Autumn Term)
If you would like more information about them, please get in touch with us at: schoolslibraryservice@warwickshire.gov.uk
See Below for our previous Award Winners:
Warwickshire Junior Book Award:
2022 Winner: Twitch by M.G. Leonard
The Chime Seekers by Ross Montgomery
The Valley of Lost Secrets by Lesley Parr
The WChildren of the Quicksands by Efua Traore
2021 Winner: The Soup Movement By Ben Davis
Voyage of the Sparrowhawk by Natasha Farrant
When Life Gives You Mangoes by Kereen Getten
The Wild Way Home by Sophie Kirtley
2019 Winner: The Secret of the Night Train by Sylvia Bishop
Running on Empty by S.E. Durrant
The Skylarks’ War by Hilary McKay
The Last Chance Hotel by Nicki Thornton
WSBA Previous Winners
We are very proud of our three Warwickshire Book Awards, which we run annually. Our trained and experienced library team carefully select the shortlisted books. Pupils/students read these books and vote for their favourite. The winner is decided solely by them, and we think this makes our Awards special! Schools from across Warwickshire take part and are invited to the Final Award Ceremony for two of the Awards (WJBA and WSBA), where we invite the shortlisted authors to attend. This is always a lovely event and a fantastic celebration of reading that we hope inspires young people across Warwickshire.
The Awards are aimed at the following year groups:
- Warwickshire Junior Book Award (WJBA): Years 5/6 (Summer Term)
- Warwickshire Secondary Book Award (WSBA): Years 7/8 (Spring Term)
- Warwickshire Teen Book Award (WTBA): Year 9 (Autumn Term)
If you would like more information about them, please get in touch with us at: schoolslibraryservice@warwickshire.gov.uk
See Below for our previous Award Winners:
Warwickshire Secondary Book Award
2023 Winner: Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick
While the Storm Rages by Phil Earle
The Climbers by Phil Earle
Hide and Seek by Robin Scott-Elliot
The Memory Thieves by Darren Simpson
The Summer we Turned Green by William Sutcliffe
2022 Winner: When the World Was Ours by Liz Kessler
Cardboard Cowboys by Brian Conaghan
Asking for a Friend by Kate Mallinder
The Supreme Lie by Geraldine McCaughrean
The Monsters of Rookhaven by Padraig Kenny
The Humiliations of Welton Blake by Alex Wheatle
2021 Winner: The Last Paper Crane by Kerry Drewery
Nothing Ever Happens Here by Sarah Hagger-Holt
Deeplight by Frances Hardinge
That Time I Got Kidnapped by Tom Mitchell
Gloves Off by Louisa Reid
The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein
The Girl Who Came out of the Woods by Emily Barr
One Shot by Tanya Landman
The Gift, the Talented and Me by William Sutcliffe
Mud by Emily Thomas
Paper Avalanche by Lisa Williamson
2019 Winner: S.T.A.G.S. BY M.A. Bennett
Wolf Children by Paul Dowswell
Boy 87 by Ele Fountain
I Am Thunder and I Won’t Keep Quiet by Muhammad Khan
The Nearest Far Away Place by Hayley Long
Rook by Anthony McGowan
WTBA Previous Winners
We are very proud of our three Warwickshire Book Awards, which we run annually. Our trained and experienced library team carefully select the shortlisted books. Pupils/students read these books and vote for their favourite. The winner is decided solely by them, and we think this makes our Awards special! Schools from across Warwickshire take part and are invited to the Final Award Ceremony for two of the Awards (WJBA and WSBA), where we invite the shortlisted authors to attend. This is always a lovely event and a fantastic celebration of reading that we hope inspires young people across Warwickshire.
The Awards are aimed at the following year groups:
- Warwickshire Junior Book Award (WJBA): Years 5/6 (Summer Term)
- Warwickshire Secondary Book Award (WSBA): Years 7/8 (Spring Term)
- Warwickshire Teen Book Award (WTBA): Year 9 (Autumn Term)
If you would like more information about them, please get in touch with us at: schoolslibraryservice@warwickshire.gov.uk
See Below for our previous Award Winners:
Warwickshire Teen Book Award
2022 Winner: The Outlaws Scarlett & Browne by Jonathan Stroud
Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-lyimide
The Upper World by Femi Fadugba
Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor
2021 Winner: The Island by C.L.Taylor
Boy I Am by K.L. Kettle
One in a Hundred Thousand by Linni Ingemundsen
Wrecked by Louisa Reid
2019 Winner: The Truth About Lies by Tracy Darnton
The Twisted Tree by Rachel Burge
Killer T by Robert Muchamore
The Survival Game by Nicky Singer