A shortlist has been announced for the annual children’s book award in Salford, which encourages young people to enjoy reading.
The 22nd annual Salford Children’s Book Award has been announced and will provide six different books with the intention of encouraging 11–14-year-old to read.
The variety of authors and themes are being used to encourage children in Salford, so that they can understand the importance of reading for pleasure.
The Salford Children’s book award hosted by the Salford Community Libraries has shortlisted six books for the award.
The books include The Boy Who Fell from the Sky by Benjamin Dean, a book that follows a twelve-year-old Zed, who has always been fascinated by the Demons that fall from the sky.
His whole life his dad has worked as a Hunter, tasked with eliminating Demons finally, and Zed hopes to one day follow him.
And students will see the dilemma that Zed is faced with when he meets a Demon that is nothing like the myths – and is conflicted on doing what’s right.
The nominations also include Quiet Storm, written by Kimberly Whittam, a story of a girl named Storm.
Readers will meet a character, who since Year 7, has been told by everyone that she needs to speak up, make friends and be more like her popular big brother.
The story will look at the challenges and development of the character, and will have some local themes as Kimberly Whittam, said: “I am delighted to be shortlisted for the Salford Children’s Book Award.
“Quiet Storm is set just down the road in Manchester, so it means a lot that children so close to home will be reading Storm’s story.”
Another book nominated for the award is Code Name Kingfisher, by Liz Kessler – through the book readers will be sent back in time to 1942 Holland.
A time when the world was at war, the Nazis’ power was growing, and Jewish families were in terrible danger. Throughout the book readers will follow the characters of twelve-year-old Mila and her older sister Hannie.
The two sisters are sent to live with a family in another city with new identities and the strict instruction not to tell anyone that they are Jewish.
Throughout the story, Hannie is determined to fight back, is swept into the Dutch resistance as an undercover agent: Code Name Kingfisher – while Mila is left with the task of working out who she can trust.
The nominations also include Just Like Everyone Else, by Sarah Hagger-Holt, a book that follows the story of thirteen-year-old Aidan cannot breathe in his crowded family home.
Running is his only respite from four loud sisters and involved, touchy-feely parents. Then his mum makes an announcement: she is having another baby.
But only this time it is not for her; she will be a surrogate for gay couple Justin and Atif, leaving Aidan incensed.
Throughout the book, it will explore Aidan and his sexuality, believing he might be gay, and young readers will see him struggle to accept this possibility.
The book will also explore the idea that he is not ready to come out, but left being conflicted with the idea that ‘what if being around Justin and Atif exposes him as gay?’
The story will explore difficult themes, and aims to spark conversations over stereotypes, as Sarah Hogger-Holt added.
She said: “Just Like Everyone Else’ is a book about finding the courage to be yourself, and to stick up for your friends, in a world that’s trying to put you in a box or make you fit a stereotype.
“I’m delighted that it’s been shortlisted for the Salford Children’s Book Award, especially as there are so many other wonderful books on the shortlist.
“I hope reading ‘Just Like Everyone Else’ sparks conversations in classrooms about challenging stereotypes, allows readers to see themselves and their friends in the story, and above all gets people turning the pages to find out what’s going to happen next!”
The fifth addition on the shortlist is Dead Lock by Simon Fox, a story of Archie Blake a son who thought his policeman father was teaching him how to pick locks and open safes was just a bit of fun.
But when a diamond necklace is stolen and his dad is arrested, Archie realises the only way to prove Dad’s innocence is to go on the run and use everything he’s learned to uncover the truth.
However, Archie soon finds himself deeply tangled in the criminal underworld, where it’s hard to know who to trust and even harder to see what’s right or wrong.
And the final nomination includes Steady for This, written by Nathanael Lessore.
The book will follow Shaun (aka MC Growls), who is ready to drop his best bars and smash the competition at Raptology.
Shaun is convinced that if he wins the competition, he’s convinced Tanisha, his crush, will finally give him a chance.
But when a livestream practice goes epically wrong, Growls’s dirty laundry is exposed. He is finally achieved his dreams of going viral – not in the good way.
Now Tanisha will not look at him, he’s the joke of the school and there’s no way he can show his face at the competition. Will he ever catch a break?
However, when a new girl arrives at the school, readers will be left following the story and learning if she is the friend he needs to turn it around.
Following the nomination, ‘Steady for This’ writer Nathanael Lessore said: “You know how monumental and helpful a book award is when they have the mayor of Salford involved!
“I only ever wanted for all kids to the see themselves in books, and the shortlist does a 10/10 of job of doing that.
“I’m honoured to be a part of something much bigger than the books that I write, and I’m incredibly grateful to the Salford Children’s Award for picking SFT (Steady for This).”
For more information about the awards and nominations can be found here.
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