More about the Royal Mail Awards

What people say about the Royal Mail Awards:

Children

“I don't normally enjoy reading, but I've really enjoyed this.” P6 pupil, Falkirk

Teachers

“Taking part in the Royal Mail Awards has been quite simply the best possible experience to open up the excitement and joy of reading to my pupils. Books and reading are now much more a part of their world.” Mrs Black, P7 teacher, St Peter's Primary School, West Dunbartonshire 

Key facts about the 2008 Awards:

• Over 18,000 children were involved and an amazing 9,541 votes were cast.
• Over 350 schools and libraries in every corner of Scotland, from Aberdeen to Dumfries; Shetland to Arran, took part.
• The 2008 awards ceremony brought 550 young judges from across Scotland together to see their peers act out the winning books

Background

The Royal Mail Awards for Scottish Children’s Books were originally set up by the Scottish Arts Council in 1999 and are now run by Scottish Book Trust. The awards recognize excellence in Scottish writing and illustration for children across three categories: Early years (0-7 years), younger readers (8-11 years), older readers (12-16 years). There is also a special Gaelic and Scots category, which in 2009 will take the form of a creative writing competition for Gaelic-speaking children across Scotland.

Books published in these categories between January and December 2008 by authors and illustrators resident in Scotland are eligible for the 2009 awards.

The winners of the awards are decided entirely by children and young people in schools and libraries across Scotland, reading and voting for their favourite books. In 2008, over 18,000 young voters registered to take part from all of Scotland’s 32 local authorities.

Scottish Book Trust is seeking to encourage teachers, librarians and booksellers to set up reading groups of children in each age group category in schools, libraries and bookshops across Scotland. The groups will read the shortlisted titles between the shortlist announcement on 6th May 2009 and the voting deadline on 14th November, and will be able to vote online for their favourite books. They can also enter the review competition for the best reviews of shortlisted titles, and develop their creative writing in Scots or Gaelic by entering the creative writing competition.

The winners of both the awards and the review competition will be announced at a special awards ceremony in Edinburgh November 2009.

Any school, library or bookshop in Scotland can take part in judging the awards. If you would like to get involved, click here.

The Royal Mail Awards are managed by Scottish Book Trust in partnership with the Scottish Arts Council, and supported by Crerar Hotels, the Times Educational Supplement Scotland and Scotia Books.

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