Welcome!

Welcome to the Doncaster Book Award 2009/10!

Amazingly we are now in the sixth year of this fantastic award - the one that puts you, the reader, in charge!

What's New?

DON'T FORGET OUR  SLOGAN COMPETITION  and  CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION !
Entries have been flooding in for these - make sure you get your entry in before the deadline (1st March)! Visit the Competitions page for full details.

SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED!
The vote count took place on Friday 15th January. There was a tie for sixth place, so this year there are seven books on the shortlist. See the panel on the right for the shortlisted titles!

FESTIVE FUN AT CUSWORTH HALL
Around 30 hardy pupils braved the snowy conditions (thanks to parents!) to attend the DBA Christmas Workshop at Cusworth Hall Museum on Monday 21st December.
Read our full report and view the photos!

A SATURDAY WITH SPARKLE AT SEVEN STORIES
On Saturday 5th December, children from five Doncaster schools enjoyed a fabulous visit to the marvellous Seven Stories, the centre for children’s books in Newcastle.
Full report and photos

DRAMA DAYS A BIG HIT
On the 23rd and 24th November students from Bentley High Street, Bentley New Village and Sunnyfields Schools came to Don Valley School Library to take part in day-long drama workshops based on this year’s long-list titles. As always, these events proved to be a great introduction to the books, and by the end of each afternoon, every student had at least one title they were dying to read.
Full report and photos

COMPETITIONS
This year we are running two different competitions. You can find full details on the Competitions page!

Lollipop Man Phil ShepherdLAUNCH EVENT A HUGE SUCCESS
This year's launch event took place at the Civic Theatre, Doncaster. DBA Secretary Lyn Hopson writes: "Tuesday afternoons do not come more exciting than this terrific event, which starred the fabulous Phil Shepherd and his amazing alter-ego, Lollipop Man! ... All in all possibly our best launch event ever!"

We have a full report and photos on the events page.

What's on the List?

As ever, your borrowing from your local public libraries has given us our list of your favourite books, and our long list really does have something for everyone to enjoy. Horror fans can look forward to the eerie tale of The Haunting of Nathaniel Wolfe by Brian Keaney, and another creepy offering from past favourite, E. E. Richardson, The Soul Trade, not to mention The Kiss of Death or Tales of Terror from the Black Ship.

Comedy features too with another title from Jeremy Strong, the wonderful Weird, and Darren King's Peter, the Penguin Pioneer. (Though with that you have to ignore the instruction to "Stop reading now or I'll slap you with my flippers" - you have been warned...!)

We've got football in Boys United by Tom Palmer, mystery in Tim Bowler's Bloodchild, and breathless action in Blood Ties by Sophie McKenzie.

In A Bit of a Hero by Gervase Phinn you'll meet a boy dealing with the challenges of losing a parent and coping with bullying, or on a lighter note, experience the trials and tribulations of friendship and party planning alongside the heroine of Ruby Rogers, Party Pooper by Sue Limb.

Your biggest problem will be deciding which of the 20 fantastic stories on offer to read first!

What's Happening?

As always, there will be lots of exciting events and trips this year. The main timetable of the award scheme is below, and full details can be viewed on our Events page as soon as they become available:

  • Tuesday 13th October 2009: Official Launch Event at the Civic Theatre, Doncaster
  • 23-24 November: Primary Drama Days with Dave Cryer.
  • Saturday 5th December: Trip to Seven Stories Museum in Newcastle (Please contact Lyn Hopson for more details)
  • Monday 21st December: Christmas workshop at Cusworth Hall Museum (Please contact Lyn Hopson for more details)
  • Thursday 7th January 2010: Deadline for votes for the shortlist. Vote count will take place on Friday 8th January.
  • Monday 25th-Friday 29th January 2010: A week of half-day ‘Murder in the Library’ workshops (Please contact Lesley Hurworth for more details)
  • Thursday 18th March: Deadline for votes for the winning book, vote count on 19th March
  • Friday 26th March: Finale Event at Doncaster Racecourse

Other planned events will include illustration workshops, creative writing workshops in the public libraries, and author visits. Further details will appear here on the website as these are arranged, so do keep checking!

How can I join in?

Check the list of schools below, or speak to your School Librarian or teacher, and ask them if your school is taking part. If it's not, don't despair - you can get all the books at your local public library, and there will be voting slips and ballot boxes available there too from the beginning of December. You can also vote in the children's department of the Waterstone's bookshop in the Frenchgate Centre. Remember, this is your award, your votes alone will decide the shortlist and the eventual winner - no adult gets a say! So start reading, post your reviews and comments to let everyone know what you think, and, most importantly, don't forget to vote!

Lyn Hopson, Secretary, DBA

Schools Taking Part

The following secondary schools are taking part in the 2009-2010 Doncaster Book Award:

  • Armthorpe School
  • Balby Carr Community Sports College
  • Danum School Technology College
  • De Warenne Academy
  • Don Valley School and Performing Arts College
  • Hall Cross School
  • Hatfield High School Visual Arts College
  • Hayfield School
  • Hungerhill School
  • McAuley Catholic High School
  • Mexborough School
  • Northcliffe School
  • Outwood Academy Adwick
  • Ridgewood School
  • Rossington All Saints School

The following primary/junior schools are taking part in 2008-2009. We hope that they enjoy reading the books, having their say on the website, and, of course, voting!

  • Adwick Park Junior School
  • Arksey Primary School
  • Auckley Primary School
  • Balby Street Primary School
  • Barnburgh Primary School
  • Bawtry Mayflower Primary School
  • Bentley High Street Primary School
  • Bentley New Village Primary School
  • Bessacarr Primary School
  • Branton St Wilfrid's Primary School
  • Canon Popham Primary School
  • Conisbrough Ivanhoe Primary School
  • Conisbrough Morley Place Junior School
  • Conisbrough Station Road Primary School
  • Crooksbroom Primary School
  • Denaby Main Primary School
  • Doncaster Road Junior School, Mexborough
  • Dunsville Primary School
  • Edenthorpe Hall Primary School
  • Edlington Victoria Primary School
  • Estfeld Primary
  • Finningley Primary School
  • Hatchell Wood Primary School
  • Hatfield Manor Junior School
  • Hatfield Sheep Dip Primary School
  • Hatfield Woodhouse Primary School
  • Hawthorne Primary School
  • Hayfield Lane Primary School
  • Hexthorpe Primary School
  • Holy Family Primary School
  • Intake Primary School
  • Kingfisher Primary School
  • Lakeside Primary School
  • Longtoft Primary School
  • Mallard Primary School
  • Mexborough St John’s Primary School
  • Montagu School, Mexborough
  • Norton Junior School
  • Owston Primary School
  • Plover Primary School
  • St Albans Primary School
  • Saltersgate Primary School
  • Sandringham Primary School
  • Southfield Primary
  • St Peter's Catholic Primary School
  • Stirling Primary School
  • Sunnyfields Primary School
  • Sycamore Primary School
  • Thorne Brooke Primary School
  • Thorne King Edward Primary School
  • Toll Bar Primary School
  • Town Field Primary School
  • Town Moor Primary
  • Tranmoor Primary School
  • Woodfield Primary

If any other schools are interested, they should contact Lyn Hopson via Don Valley School and Performing Arts College.

Last Year's Award

Teacher's Dead by Benjamin ZephaniahLast year (2008-2009), the Doncaster Book Award was won by Benjamin Zephaniah's groundbreaking novel Teacher's Dead. The winner was announced at the grand finale of the award at Doncaster Civic Theatre on Friday 13th February. The runner-up was Michael Morpurgo's Born to Run. You can view our full report and photos from the 2009 Final.

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