After completing the reading of the shortlisted books for this year’s Portsmouth Book Award (Longer Novel category) and voting for their favourite, Springfield’s team of pupil judges joined teams from schools across the city at the long-awaited Celebration event which took place at the University of Portsmouth’s Park Building on Thursday 20th June. As always, it was a very enjoyable occasion organised by the School Library Service for the 23rd successive year.
Springfield’s choice for the winning novel was reflected by the overall votes from the other participating schools with the supernatural thriller ‘Scare Me’ by Teri Terry being announced as the winner!
In her acceptance speech she explained how, although she has now been writing seriously for 20 years, she started by writing ‘bad poetry and short stories that sounded like the first chapter of a novel’ at the age of 17. After a varied career, an Open University course in creative writing gave her the opportunity to interact with like-minded people whose invaluable critiques enabled to ‘get into the heads of young adult readers’, with obvious success, as Teri has won the P.B.A. on two previous occasions – for ‘Slated’ in 2013 and ‘Mind Games’ in 2016!
As part of the award process, the School Library Service also annually declares two pupils to be the secondary school ‘Reading Champions’.
Librarians from each of the participating schools nominate one of the pupil judges that they consider to be a good reading role model and deserving of this accolade. Every member of the Springfield team could have been commended for this nomination and it was a very difficult decision to select just one person, but this year’s nominee was Favour Joseph. Not only is Favour an excellent reading ambassador, but the S.L.S were impressed with her involvement in the public libraries Summer Reading Challenge last year and her enthusiasm to volunteer again this year for the ‘Marvellous Makers’ Challenge. Favour received her award from Teri Terry, and they were both very worthy winners.
More information about Teri Terry and her range of young adult fiction can be found on her website and if you enjoy a good thriller, her books are available to borrow from the Library:
If, like Favour, you would also like to volunteer to support the Summer Reading Challenge during the summer holidays, please come to the school Library for more information and an application form – the deadline for applications to be received is 30th June 2024.
Mrs Williams (Librarian)