UKLA Book Awards and Book Club

Every year the UK Literacy Association (UKLA) have a book awards for children's literature. It is entirely judged by teachers and there are three categories that divide the books by age ranges, 3-6, 7-11 and 12-16+.

I was asked if I was interested in joining a book club at university that would be linked to this award. A small group of year one primary trainee teachers would meet together with one of the English tutors to discuss our thoughts on the books shortlisted for the 7-11 category (books appropriate for KS2).

Throughout each week we would read one of the books and then meet for an hour to discuss our reactions to the books, considering various aspects like the content, illustrations, themes within the books, links across the curriculum and how lessons could be based on the books. After reading all the books on the shortlist we all had an individual vote to give to our favourite book.

The shortlisted books for the 7-11 category 2016 were:

The Fish in the Bathtub by Eoin Colfer

Hercufleas by Sam Gayton

The Imaginary by A.F Harrold

The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel

The Pilot and the Little Prince by Peter Sís

Atlas of Adventures by Rachel Williams

The winning book for the 7-11 category 2016 was:

The Imaginary by A.F Harrold

I really enjoyed being part of the book club, as it helped me update my knowledge of current quality children's literature, because my knowledge was mostly based upon what I read myself as a child. As an English specialist, I love to read and discuss books, so I found it really interesting to hear other people's thoughts about the different books and to read some books that I would not have read without being part of the book club.

In the future I would love to run my own book club within a school, allowing children to discover a love of reading and share various texts that they are interested in or a chance to challenge pupils to read something a bit out of their comfort zone. Also, by reading a wider range of books, thinking about them and discussing their thoughts, this should help develop English skills in reading, writing and spoken language, and perhaps even benefit pupils in other areas of their education. In addition, I have found that there are social benefits to the weekly meetings, as a book club makes reading a social opportunity, rather than a more independent activity that it seems to become as children become older, suggesting holistic benefits for readers in a book club.