吃瓜现场

Writes Amanda South, Senior Librarian

Last Tuesday, we welcomed pupils and staff from St Helen鈥檚, The Royal Masonic School for Girls and 吃瓜现场鈥� Prep for an afternoon of discussion and presentations about the eight titles shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Writing, a prestigious national book award. These were judged to be the best written for children and young people in the previous year, and shadowing groups have been reading, debating and reviewing the books since the shortlist was announced in March. The pupils joined like-minded readers to create a verbal presentation on why their chosen book should be the winner. The aim was to persuade the audience that theirs was the one that best met the judging criteria.

There was a lively buzz in the library, and the pupils seemed to enjoy working together throughout the event. Their engaging presentations did indeed change minds, with the voting being very close in the end.

The World War I romance, The Boy I Love by William Hussey was chosen as the best from the Young Adult fiction titles, and Ghostlines by previous Carnegie Medal winner Katya Balen took most votes in the Junior Fiction collection. Both stories left a lasting impression and offered their readers a strong sense of place and personal discovery through beautifully crafted writing and well-drawn characters. They also fitted in well with another event we are celebrating in school this week – National Empathy Day.

The official winners of the Carnegie Medal for Writing and the national Shadowers’ Choice Award will be revealed on June 23. All the 2026 shortlisted books are available to borrow from the library, along with previous nominations and Carnegie Medal winners.

Pupil Reflections:

Lishane W. (4ths)

鈥淚 really enjoyed the afternoon, and it was interesting to discuss views on the books with pupils from other schools.鈥�

Ishaan D. (U3rds)

“Carnegie Club is a fun and highly enjoyable club because it allows pupils to share ideas and understand each other鈥檚 opinions and standpoints. I found, particularly in the meetings, that it was a chance to challenge my mindset. It was nice to also meet with different schools to gain even more insight into opinions. I would one hundred percent recommend the club.鈥�

Kyle K. (3rds)

鈥淚 really enjoyed taking part in the Carnegie Club this year. Reading is something I enjoy anyway, so I particularly liked discovering and reading a variety of different books that I might not otherwise have chosen. Writing reviews helped me reflect more deeply on the stories, characters, and themes, which made the reading experience even more enjoyable. I also enjoyed listening to the opinions of my fellow聽Carnegians聽and discussing our different views on the books. The Carnegie event itself was great fun because we had the opportunity to meet and interact with pupils from other schools and be part of something worthwhile. I am聽very grateful聽for the opportunity to take part and would love to do it again in the future!鈥�鈥�

Aaryan V. (3rds)

“Ever since I was in Year 1, I鈥檝e wanted to write my own book. At Mr Wilson鈥檚 creative writing club, we work on developing stories and exploring the power of language, so being part of this book club was fun and eye opening. Discussing these books reminded me just how strong and meaningful words and stories can be.

My favourite book was聽definitely Birdie聽by J.P. Rose. It follows an orphan girl who goes to live with her aunt, only to be treated differently just because of the colour of her skin. It makes you think about who we are and what it truly means to do the right thing. It deserves to win because it is more than just a tale; it makes you look deeper at how we see and treat one another.

It was great meeting other readers and sharing our thoughts 鈥� I found聽it聽interesting how the same story can mean something different to everyone.

The final event was a great finish, letting us listen to everyone talk about their favourite books. It really showed how stories bring people together.

Most of all, this has made me want to keep working on my own book. Being reminded how much words can affect people has given me more confidence. If other writers can share their stories and ideas, I know I can too.

If you love reading or writing, I鈥檇 definitely recommend joining next year. It reminds you that words matter. One day I hope this club will be reviewing a book I write in the future. I can鈥檛 wait to see which book wins when the result is announced on 23 June.”