Summer Reading

Circus Stars, the national Summer Reading Challenge for children, is running in most UK public libraries throughout the summer holidays, with incentives, activities and events designed to create a real buzz around children's reading. The challenge is simple - to read six or more library books over the summer.

How it works
- Children sign up for the Challenge at their local library where they receive their free starter pack.
- The Challenge invites children to read six library books of their choice throughout the holidays.
- Children collect rewards and receive incentives along the way to encourage them to complete the challenge.

The Circus Stars website is packed with games and activities to keep children engaged and motivated to keep reading, http://www.summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/, and there are linked activities to encourage families into libraries throughout the summer.

Incoming Year 7 pupils have also been challenged to read over the summer, and can produce their Circus Stars record or their OLA Summer Reading Challenge to gain their a commendation in September. All summer reading will count towards the OLA Reading Olympics - just remember to keep a list of what you read.

Exhibition at Imperial War Museum

Once Upon A Wartime: Classic War Stories is a family-friendly exhibition at the Imperial War Museum which looks at some of the best-loved books written for children about conflict from World War I until the present day. It runs until 30 October 2011.

Once Upon A Wartime brings five stories of war dramatically to life. Adults and children can wander through life-size sets, peer into intricate scale models and explore the stories’ themes of loyalty, separation, excitement, survival and identity.

From the bleak landscape of no man’s land in War Horse to the imposing tower blocks of London’s gang warfare in Little Soldier, this exhibition is an immersive journey through the worlds of the books. Pull up a chair in Hepzibah’s kitchen where the scene is set straight out of Carrie’s War, discover the secret fortress from The Machine Gunners and listen to the footsteps above the cellar where the Balicki children find shelter in The Silver Sword.

Behind the scenes of the stories, see what inspired the authors to write their books, and find out about the historical context of each story through objects, photographs and films.

Information above taken from http://wartime.iwm.org.uk/

Regional Book Awards

Recent regional book award results, where the winners have been chosen by school pupils who vote after reading the shortlisted books:
OXFORDSHIRE BOOK AWARD 2011
Primary Picture Book - Zog by Julia Donaldson & Axel Sheffler
Primary Book - Shadow by Michael Morpurgo
Secondary Book - Boy's Don't Cry by Malorie Blackman
HAMPSHIRE BOOK AWARD
Timeriders by Alex Scarrow, with Halo by Zizou Corder a close second.
GRAMPIAN CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD
Joint Winners - Cathy MacPhail (for Grass)and Charlie Higson (for The Enemy)
REDBRIDGE CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD
Children's category - Cherry Crush by Cathy Cassidy
Teenage category - Boys Don’t Cry by Malorie Blackman.

Branford Boase Award 2011

Out Of Shadows by Jason Wallace has won this year's Branford Boase Award, which is given each year to the most outstanding work of fiction for children by a first time novelist. Previous winning writers include Marcus Sedgwick, Meg Rosoff, Kevin Brooks and Mal Peet.
The other books on the 2011 shortlist were:
I Am The Blade by J.P. Buxton
When I Was Joe by Keren David
Tall Story by Candy Gourlay
Unhooking The Moon by Gregory Hughes
The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh.
Out of Shadows also won this year's Costa Children's Book Award and was voted winner by the Carnegie shadowers at our joint schools' Abingdon Carnegie Forum.