Over the next eight weeks (starting Tuesday 14 July) we’re highlighting all the brilliant books longlisted for the Guardian children’s fiction prize.
Every week we are going to focus on one book. We’ll have a description of the book, an author interview and/or other features by the author and a video from each author telling you why YOU should review THEIR book! Here they are all are. We can’t wait to read your reviews!
The full list of longlisted books and authors is:
An Island of our Own by Sally Nicholls (Scholastic)
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Why you should read and review An Island of Our Own for the young critics competition.
- Sally Nicholls on why it’s not always necessary to ‘kill the parents’
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Read an interview with Sally Nicholls
- Find out about Sally’s Independent Book Week children’s book awards win
- Read a review of An Island of Our Own
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (Penguin Books)
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Why you should read All The Bright Places
- Some deeply inspirational writing tips from Jennifer Niven (and her mum)
- Read the first chapter of All The Bright Places
- Check out this interview with Jennifer Niven
- Find out Jennifer’s top 10 books to save your life
Five Children on the Western Front by Kate Saunders (Faber)
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Why you should read Five Children on the Western Front
- Read about how Kate Saunders was inspired by E Nesbit, author of Five Children and It
- Read an extract
- Listen to Kate Saunders talk about the book in our podcast
- Read a review
- And another! And another!
The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge (Macmillan)
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Why you should read The Lie Tree
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Discover the inspiration behind The Lie Tree - surprisingly strong-willed, empowered and rebellious Victorial heroines!
My Name’s Not Friday, by Jon Walter (David Fickling Books)
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Why you should read My Name is Not Friday
- Get to know Jon: an interview with Jon Walter
- Read the first chapter of My Name is Not Friday
Apple and Rain, Sarah Crossan (Bloomsbury)
- Why you should read Apple and Rain
- Get to know Sarah: an interview with Sarah Crossan
- Read the first chapter of Apple and Rain
A Song for Ella Grey by David Almond (Hodder)
- David Almond on how one of his favourite places in the world was created: Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children’s Books
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Why you should read a Song For Ella Grey (a video by David Almond)
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Read an interview with David Almond by Millennium Riot Readers
- Listen to David Almond and Oliver Jeffers talking about their book The Boy Who Swam With Piranhas
El Deafo, by Cece Bell (Amulet Books)
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Why you should read El Deafo and review it for the Young critics prize (a video by Cece Bell)
- How and why I made El Deafo – in pictures
- Read an interview with Cece Bell by Whiteheath book ninjas
A shortlist of four books will be revealed in October.
How do I get involved and enter the Guardian’s young critics competition?
It’s easy. Read the books and tell everyone what you think! You can email your comments to childrens.books@theguardian.com. And enter your reviews (500 words max) for The Guardian’s young critics competition. Anyone aged 18 or under can enter (but you must still be 18 on 18 November 2015 to be eligible). Find out all. Individuals or school books groups/classes can enter and there are great prizes to be won. You can enter the young critics competition here. Entries must be in by October 30 2015.
How do I write a review?
Two of the Guardian’s top children’s books critics, Philip Ardagh and Linda Buckley-Archer have given some great advice on writing book reviews. And of course you can check out all the brilliant ones by members going up on the site every day.
Remember, it must all be your own work. If you decide to quote from anybody else’s review, then you MUST credit them.
Any other questions?
Email childrens.books@theguardian.com and we’ll do our best to answer them.
Happy reading and good luck!
