Stratford‘s bookworms inspired by children’s authors at book awards
Pupils from Gainsborough Primary said they were inspired by the authors who attended the awards - Credit: Archant
Bookworms from a Newham primary school rubbed shoulders with children’s authors during a book awards event.
The group, from Gainsborough school in Stratford, were among several hundred youngsters from primary and secondary schools across Redbridge who attended the Redbridge Children’s Book Awards in Ilford. The annual awards are designed to encourage children’s love of reading and culminates in the youngsters reading a list of both children’s and teenagers novels to create a shortlist.
Sharon Gosling won the children’s category prize for The Diamond Thief while Kevin Brooks won the teenage prize for his book The Bunker Diary. The event also included winners of the children’s poetry and short story competition.
Children had the chance to quiz the authors during a Q&A session and many took the opportunity to get the writers to sign their books.
Annette Clarke, reading leader at Gainsborough school, said: “It was the first year that Gainsborough pupils have taken part in the awards.
It’s been a great project that we’ve been running in the school since the autumn term. The pupils have been given the opportunity to be part of a book group and read and review lots of newly released young fiction.
It encourages them to read a much wider range of fiction and they are becoming much more reflective, analytical readers.”
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Chloe Kenku, 9, said: “I enjoyed the books awards because I want to be an author when I am older and now I understand how books are created.”
Diamond Norton Cruz, 10, said: “I enjoyed the book awards because I learned how different authors have different ways of gaining inspiration for their novels. This has inspired me too.”
