Abingdon Carnegie Forum - 23 June

Twenty-one keen readers from OLA had a wonderful day at Abingdon Guildhall to reward their reading and reviewing of the books nominated for the Carnegie Medal, the prestigious children's book award, whose past winners include The Borrowers, Watership Down, Tom’s Midnight Garden and Northern Lights. Joining with other readers from the six secondary schools in Abingdon they discussed the eight books on the shortlist and then concentrated on their favourite title, preparing a short visual review to convince a panel of judges to read ‘their’ book.

This successful reading partnership of the six state and independent schools has been running for 10 years, and has lead to joint book quiz sessions, author talks and culminates in an annual Abingdon Carnegie Forum organised by the schools’ Librarians, with over 130 teenagers, Librarians, English teachers and guest judges participating in a day to celebrate reading.

This year the six schools had special cause to celebrate as Marcus Sedgwick, one of the shortlisted authors came to Abingdon to speak to the Carnegie shadowers, following a writing workshop earlier in the day with Year 9 at OLA. At the end of the afternoon the Shadowers voted for their winning book, which was Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson with just one vote separating it from The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness. All eight books were outstanding in their own way and fully deserved their place on the Carnegie Medal shortlist.

The winner of the Carnegie Medal, announced the following day, was The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, which joins the ranks of the best in children's literature.

Marcus Sedgwick and Carnegie shadowing

Marcus Sedgwick, shortlisted for the prestigious children's book award the Carnegie Medal will be at Our Lady's Abingdon on Wednesday 23 June to lead a writing workshop with Year 9. He will then move on to Abingdon Guildhall to speak to over 100 Carnegie shadowers from local secondary schools at the Abingdon Carnegie Forum. Read reviews by OLA shadowers - there are some excellent ones, and they all make you want to read the books!

2010 Orange Prize for Fiction winner

Barbara Kingsolver has won the 15th Orange Prize for Fiction with The Lacuna. The Orange Prize for Fiction is awarded to the woman who, in the opinion of the judges, has written the best, eligible full-length novel in English. The winner receives £30,000,and a limited edition bronze figurine called the 'Bessie'.

Vote for the Puffin of Puffins

What's your favourite Puffin?
The publisher Puffin is celebrating its 70th birthday and has chosen 7 modern classics, one from each decade it has been publishing, and wants you to choose your favourite.
* The Family from One End Street by Eve Garnett - 40s
* Charlotte's Web by E.B. White - 50s
* Stig of the Dump by Clive King - 60s
* Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl - 70s
* Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian - 80s
* The Hundred Mile-an-Hour Dog by Jeremy Strong - 90s
* Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer - 00s
If you haven't read some of these entertaining and inspirational children's books then come along to the Library and borrow them.
Voting has opened and will close on 16 June, and the winning book will be announced on 17 June.

Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2010 - Longlist

Prisoner of the Inquisition, by Theresa Breslin.
Now, by Morris Gleitzman.
Unhooking the Moon, by Gregory Hughes.
The Ogre of Oglefort, by Eva Ibbotson .
Sparks, by Ally Kennen.
Lob, by Linda Newbery.
Ghost Hunter, by Michelle Paver.
White Crow, by Marcus Sedgwick.

The Guardian children's fiction prize will be awarded in September.