The AWARDS CEREMONY for the Big Book Awards 2018 at Theatre Severn on Friday 27th April reached a crescendo of excitement and exploded into cheers and screams as finally ‘The Legend of Podkin One-Ear’ by Kieran Larwood was revealed as having secured the most votes from all the pupils in what was described by the organisers as an incredibly tight finish.

This book has been described by pupils in the project as:

“This story made me feel like I can do anything. One of the most exciting stories I have ever read: I was gripped from the beginning.”  Zac Green of Longden CE Primary School.

 “Incredible! This book lures you in and won’t let you go! You feel like the main characters are your best friends and that you have known them all your life.” Lucy of Morville CE Primary School

“When I started reading this book it hooked me right in, I didn’t want to put the book down! It leaves you on edge at every word making you just want to read and read and read!”  Scarlett Wright of Castlefields Primary School Bridgnorth.

The Awards Ceremony at Theatre Severn…

All six shortlisted authors were on stage throughout the the Awards Ceremony at Theatre Severn on Friday 27th April 2018, as a culmination of this unique reading development project delivered into Shropshire Primary schools by Shrewsbury Bookfest in the Spring term this year.   The shortlisted authors spoke about the inspiration behind their work, answered questions put to them by the pupils and were clearly moved by the sheer passion and enthusiasm for reading that the project had ignited within all the pupils.  All the authors remarked on how wonderful it has been to share the Book Award 2018 journey with the children and their schools via social media, correspondence and live video chats and of course face to face at the Awards Ceremony in Theatre Severn.

The Awards Ceremony was hosted by Sophie Peach and Ali McGowan from Shrewsbury Bookfest and Sara-Jane Arbury, a performance poet from Bristol who gave a wonderfully original and entertaining poetic summary of each of the six titles.

Prizes were awarded to the winners too of the competitions that were set up to support the reading project:,

• The Creative Writing Competition where children had composed letters to a character in a chosen shortlisted book offering them some advice at a key point in the plot. All runners up and the winner received beautiful ink pens and notebooks from local business, Write Here of Shrewsbury who were delighted to be able to support a competition that treasured and celebrated the art of writing.  Runners up in this category were:
  • Deryn Wheeler from Much Wenlock Primary School; Gracie Gage from St John’s Catholic Primary School – Bridgnorth; Tommy Hughes from West Felton CE Primary School; Amelie Maynard from Morville CE Primary School and Revis Parslow from The Martin Wilson Primary School
  • Overall winner of the Creative Writing Competition was Toby Auckland from St George’s Junior School

• The Film Trailer Competition children were set free to unleash their technological know-how and interpretation of the shortlisted books by producing a short trailer film of any of the books on the shortlist. Runners up in this category were:
  • Longden CE Primary School, Prestfelde School and Greenfields Primary.
  • The overall winner of this competition was a second entry from Longden CE Primary school with their fast paced and cleverly planned out trailer film for They Didn’t Teach THIS in Worm School!
• The Art Competition was curated, judged and supported by the Arts Society, Shrewsbury branch where President, Howard Franklin, awarded prizes to the winners of the competition:
  • First prize was awarded to Cici Farmer from St Winefride’s School, second to Charlotte Taylor from Prestfelde School, third prize to Max Adams from The Martin Wilson Primary School and fourth prize went to Alice Wyke from St George’s Junior School.

About the Winning Book, ‘The Legend of Podkin One-Ear’:

A thick white blanket covers the wide slopes of the band of hills known as the Razorback Downs . . .

Podkin is the son of a warrior chieftain. He knows that one day it will be up to him to lead his warren and guard it in times of danger. But for now, he’s quite happy to laze around annoying his older sister Paz, and playing with his baby brother Pook.  Then Podkin’s home is brutally attacked, and the young rabbits are forced to flee.  The terrifying Gorm are on the rampage, and no one and nowhere is safe. With danger all around them, Podkin must protect his family, uncover his destiny, and attempt to defeat the most horrifying enemy rabbitkind has ever known.

Published by Faber & Faber

About the Author:

Kieran Larwood has been passionate about stories and storytelling ever since he first read The Hobbit aged six. He graduated from Southampton University with a degree in English Literature and now works as a Reception teacher in a primary school. He lives on the Isle of Wight with his family, and between work, fatherhood and writing, doesn’t get nearly enough sleep. Podkin One-Ear is Kieran’s second book, and is the first in a new series.

About the Illustrator:

David Wyatt is an illustrator living in Devon. He has illustrated many novels and is also much admired for his concept and character work. He has illustrated tales by well-known authors such as Diana Wynne Jones, Terry Pratchett, Philip Pullman, and J. R. R. Tolkien.