Winners of the ReadingZone Picture Book Competition announced!

The winners of the ReadingZone Picture Book Competition have been announced!

Earlier this year ReadingZone challenged children aged 4-18 years to make a picture book for the ReadingZone Picture Book Competition, which is run annually by ReadingZone.   The competition has been judged by award-winning author and illustrator Mini Grey, and we are hugely grateful to her for taking on this role. 

Our ReadingZone judges have been so impressed by the quality of picture books we have received this year, despite lockdown and all the restrictions and frustrations of the Spring months. ReadingZone received hundreds of entries to the competition, many of which were started and finished at home, or started at home and then finished at school.  We were sorry we couldn't shortlist every picture book we received, and selecting the final shortlists made for some difficult decisions!

ReadingZone director Caroline Horn said, "Making a picture book is a big undertaking and we were all impressed by the quality of children's work that we saw, especially as many of the picture books we received were begun at home during lockdown. We are very excited to share the winners!"

ReadingZone Picture Book Competition Winners

You can find the full list of Shortlisted Picture Books, below. Each of the books on the shortlist is a stand-out picture book, as the entries we received for the competition have been of such a high standard this year. All our winners have done amazingly well to have been shortlisted and then to have won each of these Categories.  Prizes include sets of books for each of the Category Winners and Runners Up, plus a free virtual author visit for the school of the overall winner.

Young Creators Category

We saw a wonderfully wide range of entries for the Young Creators Category (4-7 years) and were amazed by the high standard of entries to this category.

Winner:   The Runaway Book by Eve (Solent Junior School, Portsmouth)

Download a copy of The Runaway Book

Runner Up:   Protecting the Planet by Krish, Rohan and Anokhi  (Wisbech Grammar School)

Mini Grey said: "Lots of work has gone into creating this. It was great to be able to read about all the processes that went into making this. It has a strong environmental message. It’s good to have the robot diagrams punctuating the story – that gives it a nice structure. I liked finding out about the objects that inspired the story, too."

Runner Up:   Marvin’s Marvellous Mystery by Leo (Penwortham Primary School)

Mini Grey commented, "I like that it stars an ant. There’s exciting language and menacing litter battled by tiny ants."

Primary Category

This was a stand-out category with a large number of high quality picture book entries.

Winner:   The Lost Lego Brick by Ethan  (Fairways Primary School)

Download a copy of The Lost Lego Brick

Runner Up:   Save our Seas by Neve (Penwortham Primary School)        

Mini Grey said of this entry, "I love the choice of paper and materials and artwork style – it’' really delicate and there's a lovely texture to the illustrations. I like that Neve has chosen to make an information book. To develop further – Neve could experiment with a few different layout options for a bit more visual variety."

Runner Up:   Meet the Moods by Betsy  (Heatherside Junior School)

Mini Grey said, "This book is nicely constructed and a lovely idea for a picture book. I think this could be brilliant with a bit more development, perhaps developing the moods as characters as well as colours. Lovely idea to have a rainbow of moods."

Secondary Category

While the number of entries to our Secondary Category was smaller this year, we were very impressed by the standard of the picture books we saw.

Winner:   Moggy Muggins by Corb  (Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf)

Download a copy of Moggy Muggins

Runner Up:   Bubble Trouble - Liz and Zander’s Adventures by Minnie (Home Educated)

Mini Grey said, "Lots of effort has been put into the making of this. I think a bit more development of story ideas and plot twists could take it further."

Achievement Award

Winner:   Home Ed Beach Explorers, Devon

This group of children created a wonderful range of picture books for the ReadingZone Picture Book Competition, including Shortlisted entries Mummy Wolf and Baby Wolf, and Sparkly, the Pearl and Baddy Monkey in the Young Creators Category.

Download a copy of Mummy Wolf and Baby Wolf

Runner Up:   St Thomas's CE Primary, Stoke-on-Trent

Our judges were impressed by the wide range of picture books sent by the children at St Thomas's CE Primary, which focused on '40 Days of Kindness' during lockdown, both in their work at home and among the keyworker children at school.  The picture books they created for the competition around World Book Day were focused on the theme of Kindness; one of their picture books, Kindness by Aeron, was shortlisted for the Primary Category.

Full Shortlists for the ReadingZone Picture Book Competition 2021

Young Creators Shortlist (4-7 years)

The Runaway Book
By Eve, Age 7
Solent Junior School, Portsmtouh

Be Yourself
By Peony
Slade Primary School, Tonbridge

Mummy Wolf and Baby Wolf
By Ruby
Home Ed Beach Explorers, Devon

Sparkly, the Pearl and Baddy Monkey
By Joanie
Home Ed Beach Explorers, Devon

Flippity Floppity Floo
By Thomas
Overleaf Academy Home Ed, Oxford

Protecting the Planet
By Krish, Rohan and Anokhi
Wisbech Grammar School, Wisbech

Sid the Fortune Telling Frog
By Iris
Penwortham Primary School

Marvin's Marvellous Mystery
By Leo
Penwortham Primary School

Cheeky and Stripy the Jungle Helpers
By Lois
Penwortham Primary School, London

The 3 Grizzly Bears
By Scarlett
Jack & Jill School, Hampton

Mr Corona
By Vedantika
Rockmount Primary School, London

Primary Shortlist 

One Act of Kindness
By Katie R
Greatfield Primary School, Cheltenham

Kindness
By Aeron
St Thomas's CofE Primary, Stoke on Trent

Steve and Joe's Amazing Adventure
By Daniel, Charlie, Evan and Ricky (Yr 3)
Greatfield Park Primary School

Bird's Eye
By Polly
Penwortham Primary School, London

Save our Seas
By Neve
Penwortham Primary School, London

The Lost Lego Brick
By Ethan
Fairways Primary School, Leigh on Sea

Harry's Hairy Pet
By Max
Berry Hill Primary School, Mansfield

Cat Goes to the Moon
By Jason
Heatherside Junior School, Fleet

Meet the Moods
By Betsy
Heatherside Junior School, Fleet

Secondary  Shortlist

Bubble Trouble: Liz and Zander’s Adventures
By Minnie
Home Educated

Moggy Muggins
By Corb
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf, Cardiff