SalfordOnline

Salford Children's Book Awards

Enthusiastic children from 15 Salford schools packed into the Lowry Centre today, to support and meet their favourite authors at the Salford Children's Book Award (SCBA) ceremony.

SCBA -in its seventh year- allows 11-14 year olds the opportunity to read six new novels, before voting for their favourite.

The scheme's purpose is to to introduce up to 200 secondary school pupils to a range of books and authors, and to promote reading for the sheer fun of it.

Winning author was Sally Nicholls, with her debut novel Ways to Live Forever. This is the story of an 11-year-old boy, Sam, who's dying of leukaemia, but who is determined to find out as much as he can about life before he dies. He wants to know what its like to kiss a girl, he wants facts on UFOs and ghosts, and he wants to experience walking up the down-escalator!

Miss Nicholls said she wished that there had been a "completely child focused" and "awesome" book scheme like this one when she was at school.

On attending the ceremony and meeting her young fans, she said: "I've had a really good time today, thank you so much to Salford inviting me."

Books shortlisted for the award are chosen from a list of titles nominated by high school pupils and librarians, and members of Salford Libraries and Information Services Children's Team.

The shortlist this year included books by Elizabeth Laird (Lost Riders), Michelle Magorian (Just Henry) and 24-Hour Party People writer, Frank Cottrell Boyce (Cosmic).

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