By Ms Rogers (LRC Manager)

This year the LRC marked its fourth year hosting the Yoto Carnegie Book Shadowers Club. The Yoto Carnegie Writing Award is one of the UK’s longest running and best-loved children’s book awards, recognising outstanding reading experiences created through writing and illustration in books for children and young people. A national (and international) reading for pleasure initiative, the Carnegie Awards Shadowing Scheme engages thousands of children and young people in reading. Students are asked to critique and review the titles read and then are finally invited to vote for their favourite book as part of the Shadowers’ Choice Award, which are announced alongside the Medal winners at the annual winners’ ceremony.

On Wednesday 21st June, at a ceremony held at the British Library, the Gold Medal Yoto Carnegie Medal was awarded to The Blue Book of Nebo by Manon Steffan Ros. The winner of the Shadowers Choice Award was presented to I must betray you by Ruta Sepetys.

The BGS Book Shadowers have been a dedicated collection of students who have participated fully in this wonderful reading scheme.

BGS Book Shadower Club Member, Hania Tauqeer (Year 9), reflected: “I really enjoyed participating in the Book shadowing scheme. This is because I got to read books that I would not normally read, such as ‘Needle’.

“My favourite book to read was I must betray you so I am very happy with the result of the vote. I really enjoyed this book because it focused on an area of history that is not usually covered in school, Communist Romania. I believe that I have learnt a lot from reading the book and I don’t think I would have read it if it wasn’t for the book shadowing scheme. I found that the book was really well written and I felt a connection to the characters. This is why I believe that the award was very well deserved.”