A team of Year 8 pupils have been busy reading the four novels shortlisted for this year’s Portsmouth Book Award. This annual event is organised by the Portsmouth School Library Service, and inspires pupils across the city’s schools to focus on some of the best fiction titles published in the last year.

Pupil judges met in Springfield Library on 24 April to consider the four titles in the running for this prestigious award, and to vote for their favourite. This year’s shortlist is:

'Spark' by Mitch Johnson

‘When The World Was Ours’ by Liz Kessler

'Needle' by Patrice Lawrence

'Furthermoor' by Darren Simpson

For each of the books, criteria such as good beginnings, interesting character developments, believable storylines, satisfying endings and thought provoking, satisfying endings were considered. The event generated some lively and insightful discussion, but a clear favourite emerged and the judges voted unanimously for … ‘When The World Was Ours’!

It will be interesting to see if this is reflected in the votes from all the participating schools once they have been collated. The winner will be announced at the Celebration event to be held on 27 June.

Mrs Williams, Librarian