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Picture Book Competition
We are inviting pupils aged four to 18 years to make their own picture book in this year's ReadingZone Picture Book Competition, judged by Jacqueline Wilson's illustrator and picture book creator Nick Sharratt. Why not use the activity as part of your World Book Day celebrations?!
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World Book Day free author event competition
Primary and secondary schools are invited to enter an exciting World Book Day competition to win a free author or illustrator event by authors including Simon Bartram (Bob the Man on the Moon), Caroline Lawrence (Roman Mysteries) and Jonathan Meres (World of Norm).
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Julia Donaldson exhibition announced
A new exhibition, A Squash and a Squeeze: Sharing Stories with Julia Donaldson, will launch on 17 March 2012 at Seven Stories, the national centre for children's books in Newcastle.
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Charles Dickens resources to mark anniversary
Tuesday 7th February 2012 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens. Here is a selection of recent titles about Dickens' work and life for KS2 and KS3, which we will be giving away to two lucky schools,
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Diary of a Primary Reading Group
Class 1 teacher Lynnette Voisey volunteered to set up a reading group for her primary school, inviting Year 1-3 children to attend. We follow how the book club was launched and its developments over the next six weeks.
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Goodies for a secondary reading group
We have ten copies each of The Weight of Water (Sarah Crossan, Bloomsbury) and Wonder (by R J Palacio, Bodley Head) for secondary reading groups. Let us know why your group would like to have either title.
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Author Interviews
Maudie Smith (Opal Moonbaby), Ruth Warburton (A Witch in Winter) and Jonathan Meres (The World of Norm) are among this month's author interviews. Look out for an interview with Robert Muchamore next month!
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Set up an author event
ReadingZone provides tips on how to set up your own author events as well as information about the kinds of events authors offer, and contact details.
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 Special
Feature
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Special Feature
Picture Book Competition
We are inviting pupils aged four to 18 years to make their own picture book in this year's ReadingZone Picture Book Competition, judged by Jacqueline Wilson's illustrator and picture book creator Nick Sharratt. Why not use the activity as part of your World Book Day celebrations?!
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We are looking for great stories, told in words and pictures, in up to 24 pages! To help you, there are a range of online resources on the ReadingZone website (see link below), including tips and suggestions for getting started, a template, and guidance in how the competition can be used to support the National Curriculum. Last year's picture book winners ranged from stories about pigs in love to tadpoles growing in a pond. You can read each of the winning books online (see link, below). The Competition is being run through Schools, Public Libraries and School Library Services and individual children can also enter via their school or library.
The Guidelines for entering the competition are as follows:
The picture books can be made by groups of children or by individuals and they can use any media to make their picture book. However, they must use the simple A4 Template provided by Templar on the website (see link below), so that we can print the winning entries.
Picture book entries can be UP TO 24 pages long - the Template is 24 pages including front and back covers, although children's picture books can be shorter than this.
Please don't include flaps or novelty elements in your picture books as these cannot be recreated when the winning books are printed, and please don't laminate your picture book entries.
Categories
There are four categories to enter, including: Young Creators (4-6 years); Primary (7 to 11 years); Secondary (12-18 years); and the Achievement Award (any age).
As well as the picture book itself, judges will consider how the book will be shared with other audiences and if it will be developed into other media or performance arts.
A special prize, the Achievement Award, supported by publisher Frances Lincoln, will be given to the young people or children who have put the greatest effort into creating their picture book, based on the teachers' comments we receive.
Timeline
The competition launched this month, January 2012, and will close on 14th April, enabling schools to focus their picture book activities around World Book Day. The winners will be announced on ReadingZone.com in May 2012.
Prizes
The creators of the winning picture books will receive 50 printed copies of their own fabulous picture book.
The four winning schools will also receive a free author / illustrator visit and sets of picture books, and a subscription to StoryBox or DiscoveryBox magazines.
Supporters We would like to thank Peters Bookselling Services and publishers Templar, Egmont, Macmillan, Frances Lincoln and Hachette Children's Books for their support for this competition. Picture Book Competition
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Bookclub highlights
 Black Dog
Opal Moonbaby
A Witch in Winter
We have free copies to give away for reviews. Please email your
school
details to info@readingzone.com
for the chance to win a copy.
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Black Dog
By
Levi Pinfold
Each member of the Hope family see a mysterious black dog outside, which gets bigger with each sighting and like their fears, threatens to overwhelm them. Until, of course, the smallest child laughingly confronts their fears and leads the dog in a merry rhyming trail through the forest. See Book of the Month selections by Joy Court.
Link
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Opal Moonbaby
By
Maudie Smith
What would aliens think of parking metres, fancy dress and supermarkets...? When Opal Moonbaby comes to Earth from Planet Carnelia, Martha and Robbie discover that while this alien is smart, there is a lot she still needs to learn.... Download an extract, read author interview . Age 8+
Link
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A Witch in Winter
By
Ruth Warburton
Anna's life falls apart when she and her dad move to a tumble-down house in the country. Then she meets Seth, casts a spell, and discovers a strange power that brings unwanted attention.... Read author interview, download an extract.
Link
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