This term, a group of nine students have been involved in the Carnegie Shadowing Scheme, which forms part of the CILIP Carnegie Medal, an award given by children’s librarians for an outstanding book for children and young people. As part of the scheme, these students were tasked with reading and reviewing the eight books shortlisted for the prize. The students have been meeting every Tuesday lunchtime for the last seven weeks, in the lead-up to the announcement of the winner on Monday 22nd June 2014.
On Monday 9th June 2014, the shadowing group were given the opportunity to put questions to Charlotte Arthur, who works for the Hounslow Library Service and was a judge of this year’s award. In order to do so, Charlotte had to read 76 books in just over 5 weeks, which she described as a mammoth task!
The students and Charlotte went through each book in turn and discussed it at length. The students’ favourite was clearly ‘The Bunker Diary’ by Kevin Brooks, a pulsating young adult novel which left several of the students disturbed yet enthralled. Students asked Charlotte very insightful questions about the process of the competition, as well as the books themselves, and the enthuasiasm on display was boundless!
Well done to all students who participated in the scheme: Munir Ahmadi (7C), Arun Chadha (9A), Max Lundlack-Orr (9C), Ali Nasiri (7F), Sohrab Sayedi (9C), Sammy Standing (7B), Harry Stenholm (9E) and Daniel Vakili (7F).
View shortlisted books
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| ‘All The Truth That’s In Me’ | ‘Blood Family’ | ‘Ghost Hawk’ | ‘Liar and Spy’ |
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| ‘Roof Toppers’ | ‘The Bunker Diary’ | ‘The Child’s Elephant’ | ‘The Wall’ |
