Doncaster: Discover the Spirit

Welcome, welcome, welcome to this, the exciting eighth year of the Doncaster Book Award. And what a year it’s going to be, bigger, brighter, and even more exciting than ever before!

CHARLIE HIGSON EVENT: We will be hosting an event with the fabulous Charlie Higson at Doncaster Racecourse on 23rd April 2012. Please see our Events page for more details.

CUSWORTH HALL WORKSHOP: A special workshop on The Poisoned House will be held at Cusworth Hall on 17th February 2012 (Friday of half term). For details of how to apply, please see our Events page.

DAVE CRYER WORKSHOPS: Dave Cryer will be running 2-hour drama workshops exploring the shortlist. The DBA will be funding ten free workshops. For details of how to apply, please see our Events page.

SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED: We are very pleased to announce that the following books have made it to this year's shortlist:

• Philip Ardagh, When Bunnies Turn Bad
• Michael Ford, The Poisoned House
• Eva Ibbotson, One Dog and his Boy
• Tanya Landman, Poison Pen
• Chris Riddell, Ottoline at Sea
• David Walliams, Billionaire Boy

Story Competition for KS2 Pupils: The Doncaster Book Award is delighted to be able to announce a KS2 story competition, with prizes generously sponsored by the Rotary Club of Doncaster St Leger, and with the top few winning entries going forward to a regional Yorkshire Rotary Clubs’ story competition. Full Details

Detectives, Deadly Desperados, and Deranged Bunnies - A joint workshop led by Dave Cryer was held at Don Valley on 15th November. Students from Don Valley Academy, Sunnyfields Primary and Bentley High Street Primary took part. We have a full report and photos from this highly successful event.

Our official launch event, with author and illustrator Chris Mould, took place in the Civic Theatre on 17th October. Over 300 students from 12 schools were there, and as ever, they raised the roof with their sheer enthusiasm for the joy of reading. We have a full report and photos from the launch.

Our new long list of books is jam-packed full of amazing stories, both from established DBA favourite authors such as Ali Sparkes, Darren Shan, and Robert Muchamore, to brand-new writers like the marvellous Moira Young. There’s a fantastic mix of genres too, from comedy (Billionaire Boy, Letters From An Alien Schoolboy), to gothic suspense (The Poisoned House); high adventure (Tom Trueheart and the Land of Myths and Legends), to mystery (Killer Pass, Poison Pen). We’ve got a wonderful animal story (One Dog and his Boy), and even a western (The Case of the Deadly Desperados)! Add in fantasy (Wishful Thinking), gory horror (The Dead), the utterly unique charm of Noah Barleywater Runs Away and the amazing illustrations of Chris Mould and Chris Riddell in Pip and the Twilight Seekers and Ottoline at Sea, and you’ll have to agree - it’s one of the best lists ever!

We’ve got lots of great events planned too. These started early this year with the visit of author Cathy Cassidy in September. The official launch event, with author and illustrator Chris Mould, took place in the Civic Theatre on 17th October, and other events will range from a Lit’s a Knockout, to drama workshops, a Seven Stories visit, and Murder in the Library.

Want to get involved? It couldn’t be easier. Ask your teacher or librarian if your school is taking part. Or you can go along to your local public library and borrow the books. Remember to keep checking out this website for up-to-date information on events/activities. Found a book you loved? Don’t keep it to yourself. Tell other readers about it by posting your reviews and comments here, and see what other young people think about what they’re reading too.

Most importantly, don’t forget, this is your award. No adult gets a say - your votes alone will decide which books will make the shortlist in December and you will choose the winner in March. Voting slips to select the shortlist will be available at the beginning of December in schools, public libraries and in Waterstones bookshop in the Frenchgate Centre.

Don’t delay, start today! Happy Reading!

Lyn Hopson
Secretary, Doncaster Book Awards Ltd.

As always, there will be lots of exciting events and trips this year. Full details can be viewed on our Events page as soon as they become available.

The following secondary schools are taking part in the 2011-2012 Doncaster Book Award:

• Armthorpe School
• Ash Hill School
• Balby Carr Community Sports College
• Baysgarth School
• Danum Academy
• De Warenne Academy
• Don Valley Academy and Performing Arts College
• Hall Cross School
• Hatfield High School Visual Arts College
• Hayfield School
• Mexborough School
• Outwood Academy Adwick
• Outwood Academy Portland
• Ridgewood School
• Rossington All Saints School

The following primary/junior schools are taking part in 2011-2012. We hope that they enjoy reading the books, having their say on the website, and, of course, voting!

• Adwick Park Junior School
• Auckley Primary School
• Balby Street Primary School
• Barnburgh Primary School
• Bawtry Mayflower Primary School
• Bentley High Street 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 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
• Pheasant Bank Academy
• Plover Primary School
• Richmond Hill Primary
• St Albans Catholic 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
• Tranmoor Primary School
• Travis St Lawrence CE Primary School
• Wadworth Primary School
• Willow Primary School
• Windhill Primary School
• Woodfield Primary

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

We are now on Twitter! Why not follow @DoncBookAward for regular updates!

• When Bunnies Turn Bad
  Philip Ardagh
• The Poisoned House
  Michael Ford
• One Dog and his Boy
  Eva Ibbotson
• Poison Pen
  Tanya Landman
• Ottoline at Sea
  Chris Riddell
• Billionaire Boy
  David Walliams

• When Bunnies Turn Bad
  Philip Ardagh
• Letters from an Alien Schoolboy
  Ros Asquith
• Tom Trueheart and the Land of Myths and Legends
  Ian Beck
• Boys Don't Cry
  Malorie Blackman
• Noah Barleywater Runs Away
  John Boyne
• Hunger of the Yeti
  Tommy Donbavand
• The Poisoned House
  Michael Ford
• The Lunatic's Curse
  F E Higgins
• The Dead
  Charlie Higson
• One Dog and his Boy
  Eva Ibbotson
• Poison Pen
  Tanya Landman
• Case of the Deadly Desperados
  Caroline Lawrence
• Pip and the Twilight Seekers
  Chris Mould
• Shadow Wave
  Robert Muchamore
• Killer Pass
  Tom Palmer
• Ottoline at Sea
  Chris Riddell
• Birth of a Killer
  Darren Shan
• Wishful Thinking
  Ali Sparkes
• Billionaire Boy
  David Walliams
• Blood Red Road
  Moira Young

Our official book suppliers are Hopkins Book Service, Westbrook House, Wreakes Lane, Dronfield, Sheffield S18 1LY (Tel. & Fax 01246 417787). Hopkins offer 20% discount on DBA longlist books to all schools, and will deliver to schools in the Doncaster area. They will supply whole or part orders from the long list.