Pupils help to decide the winner of the Carnegie Medal for outstanding new book for children or young adults

Midweek Herald: The voting partyThe voting party (Image: Archant)

A book shadowing group at Colyton Grammar School hosted a ‘voting party’ for this year’s Carnegie Medal Award.

It was attended by a group of Year 5 and Year 6 pupils from Colyton Primary School.

The Carnegie Medal – given by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) - is a literary award that annually recognises an outstanding new book written for children or young adults

Books are nominated by children’s librarians all over the UK, and CILIP released this year’s shortlist of eight books about 10 weeks before the winner will be announced, giving the chance for shadowing groups such as Colyton’s CAKE - Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Enthusiasts - club, run by Sixth Formers, to read the list and decide upon their own winner at their annual voting party.

After hearing Colyton Primary School pupils’ creative ‘tweet’ reviews of ‘Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth’ by Frank Cottrell Boyce, the members of CAKE club presented some very honest reviews of the books they had read, finally voting ‘Salt to the Sea’ by Ruta Sepetys the group’s favourite.

When talking about Salt to the Sea, Johana Pusuluri, aged 11, said: “I became very involved with the characters, who followed me in my dreams, greatly inspired me, and changed my view on the world. I would eat my hat if I came across someone who didn’t enjoy Salt to the Sea!”

The winner of the 2017 Carnegie Medal Award will be announced at a ceremony in London on Monday 19 June.

The full short list can be found here: http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/carnegie-current-shortlist.php