This week, I am delighted to announce the winners of this year’s Coventry Inspiration Book Awards. There have been some truly amazing books in every category and a huge range of writing styles and genres so that hopefully everyone had a book that inspired them to read.
The winning book in the What’s The Story category for Reception, Year 1 and 2 is…
The Diddle That Dummed by Kes Gray and Fred Blunt. Flinty Bo Diddle is writing a tune for his fiddle. All his diddles have lined up nicely – except for one who keeps going DUM, right in the middle! Which diddle went dum? The culprit steps forward saying: “ I’m not like the other diddles. Sometimes I like to go dum.” No matter what Flinty tries he just can’t get this diddle to diddle like it’s supposed to! A story about standing out from the crowd- we all know a Diddle that dums. A fabulously funny read aloud that is bound to get you laughing.
The winning book in the Telling Tales category for Year 3 and 4 is…
Harriet Versus The Galaxy by Samantha Bains, illustrated by Jessica Flores. The intergalactic adventure starts at home with Harriet, who discovers that her hearing-aid can do more than she ever bargained for when she finds an alien in her room. Discovering that her family secretly work for an intergalactic agency, Harriet becomes the Earth’s first line of defence as the only one who can understand the invaders. Sure, her hearing aid helps her understand aliens from across the universe, if only she could understand her own feelings. A hilarious and heartfelt debut from multi-award winning, hearing aid wearing, comedian, actor and author Samantha Baines.
The winning book in the Hooked On Books category for Year 5 and 6 is…
What’s That In Dog Years by Ben Davies, illustrated by Julia Christians. The last woof and testament of Gizmo the Wonder Dog! Gizmo has been my best friend since the day I was born – he’s always been around. But now they’re telling me he might not always be around which completely sucks. I’m determined that me and Gizmo will have lots more fun and adventures before he goes – I mean, he loves parties, deserves pampering, and needs a break by the seaside. And as for that old saying about how you can’t teach an old dog new tricks – it’s true, you really can’t! Gizmo’s bucket list is up and running – unlike Gizmo who is totally lazy and demanding to be carried.
Before the book even gets started, it say, “A really funny story (but with a few sad bits too, so get your tissues ready!) They weren’t joking – I made it to page 3 before needing them! A brilliantly funny, poignant, heartbreaking book about life, best friends, growing up and moving on.
Ben has a way of taking serious subjects, adding his sharp humour and weaving them together to create stories that entertain, connect you with the characters and give you lots to think about. Tackling serious issues; death, family break-up, anxiety, bullying, poverty, and child careers, What’s That In Dog Years is a great read for empathy, and anyone in need of a jolly good cry (but you’ll laugh a lot too!). Julia Christians’ warm, humourous illustrations pepper the pages, helping to bring the characters and settings to life.
What an amazing set of winners this year. Huge congratulations to them all for inspiring us to read for pleasure! And a great big thank you to Coventry SLS for organising the awards.
And finally, as June is Pride Month, and this week saw Empathy Day on the 10th June, I’d like to share Grandad’s Camper by Harry Woodgate. Grandad’s camper van is hidden away in the garage – now Gramps isn’t around any more, the adventures they shared travelling in it just wouldn’t be the same. As she listens to his wonderful stories, Grandad’s granddaughter has an idea to cheer him up…
Gorgeous illustrations adorn the pages of a story celebrating love, loss and a life lived to the full. Exploring a range of big emotions, including family love and the love we choose for ourselves, and the loss of a loved one and how we remember them, Grandad’s Camper is a brilliant book to open discussions to help children understand how others feel, and how they might be able to support them, putting empathy into action.