BOOK AWARDS ROUNDUP

This has been a busy week for children's book awards.

The Booktrust Teenage Prize winner for this year was announced: Century, by Sarah Singleton. The award recognises the best contemporary teenage fiction, celebrating the most significant books aimed at 13-16 year olds each year. Century was described by the judges as "a perfectly formed, highly visual and intriguing novel in the gothic tradition, with the timeless feel of Frankenstein or Dracula." [READ MORE]

The Whitbread Book Award shortlists were announced on Wednesday. Its nominations for children's book of the year are Framed, by Frank Cottrell Boyce; The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean; Permanent Rose by Hilary McKay; and The New Policeman by Kate Thompson.

Askews Torchlight Award has announced a shortlist which displayed "a wide variety of writing styles and genres". This is one of the few awards where the winner is decided by young readers, and schools and libraries are encouraged to send votes in by post or email. The closing date for voting is Friday 31st March 2006 at noon, with the winner being announced on Monday 3rd April 2006. Full details are on their website.

And finally, the winners of the Blue Peter Book Awards were announced yesterday: winner of the 'Book I couldn't put down' category and overall winner was Michael Morpurgo's Private Peaceful.

To keep up to date with book awards, click on the 'Award Winning Books' link on the library home page.