News release: Youngsters vote for their favourite book

Abstract

The ten books which have been shortlisted for this year's Lancashire Children's Book
of the Year Award will be announced on Wednesday 20th February at the University of
Central Lancashire at the first meeting of the final judging panel.
Pupils aged 13-14 from twelve high schools across Lancashire have been involved in
judging the competition, organised by Lancashire County Library and sponsored by the
University of Central Lancashire. Over the past five months they have read all the
books entered for the award and given them marks out of ten. One pupil from each
school has been nominated to sit on the fmaljudging panel.
Well-known children's author, Hazel Townson, will attend Wednesday's meeting to
give the panel some tips on reading and selecting the winning title. After the meeting,
the twelve pupils will each take away the ten shortlisted books and will have until late
April to come up with their favourite. They will then come to a joint decision and one of
the pupils will inform the winning author, who will receive a cheque for £500 and an
engraved decanter.
This year's competition attracted seventy-nine recently published books by UK based
authors, all aimed at the 12- 14 age group. Last year's joint winners were Melvin
Burgess for his book 'Bloodtide' published by Andersen Press and Malcolm Rose for
his book 'Plague' published by Scholastic Press
19th February 2002
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For further details, please contact Kate Ford on 01772 892481,07968 861580, email
kjford@uclan.ac.uk.
Photo opportunity: Pupils will be available for photographs at StPeter's Arts Centre,
University of Central Lancashire, on Wednesday 20111 February between 09:30 and
10:00 and between 11 :00 and 11: 15.