Two people have been awarded the honour of SLA School Librarian of the Year.
At the celebration on 4th October in London, M.G. Harris , author of The Joshua Files presented the awards to;
Kevin Sheehan from Offerton School in Stockport and Duncan Wright from Stewart’s Melville College in Edinburgh.
Ginette Doyle, Chair of the Selection committee and Chair of the School Library Association said: “Kevin and Duncan come from two completely different schools. Kevin’s school has a higher than average learning support register and more pupils eligible for free school meals than normal. He makes his library fun; he goes beyond the book to entice pupils in and demands that they respect the space so that it has become highly valued.
Duncan’s school is more academic and he has ensured that the information literacy ladder he helped to devise is at the heart of lessons, but he too, makes the Library a fun place to be and engages disaffected readers with his enthusiasm for other things than just the Library. Two exceptional librarians, working in different ways to bring their libraries into the heart of the school and learning, we could not decide between them. They are not joint winners, but each deserves the accolade of SLA School Librarian of the Year.
The SLA School Librarian of the Year Award celebrates the essential work that school librarians are doing at a time when school libraries are being closed at an alarming rate.
We were impressed by the passion and dedication of the librarians we visited and the innovative and inspirational ways in which they bring books and an enthusiasm for learning into the heart of the school and into the lives of children. We had a hard job selecting a short list and feel that everyone on the Honour list should be celebrated.”
The Honour List:
Sue Bastone – Licensed Victuallers’ School, Ascot
Rebecca Jones – Malvern St James, Worcestershire
Shiona Lawson – Rothesay Academy, Isle of Bute
Denise Reed – Hurst Prep School, Hurstpierpoint, Sussex
You can find profiles of the six librarians are on the School Library Association website.
Dolphin Booksellers were pleased to support SLA both in their work and by attending the event.
Sue Martin
This really captured our imagination at at a time when schools are about to go through further changes.
Jackie Morris’s latest book The Ice Bear is newly in print this month with 
Jackie also has exhibitions across the country. 
At 
70 years of 
“ It’s a real honour for me to be part of Puffin’s 70th birthday celebrations and this wonderful exhibition.”
Ifeoma is a well known writer of children’s books, using her photographs and text bringing family and community life in Africa into the western world.
On 27th June she will delivering one of her exciting, interactive workshops at the 
On the very top floor in the attic of 
Short listed for the prize were, Remi Oyedele for Goal Dreams, Sue Stern for Rafi Brown and the Candy Floss Kid and Karon Alderman for Story Thief.
The winner of the Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Children’s Book Award for 2010 will be announced on Tuesday 8th June 2010 at 
“ The demons are all real: Western cultures have vampires and werewolves and witches, Japanese people have kappa and oni and tengu. “ Says Cristy, who has now had the story published by Frances Lincoln in an amazingly colourful and vibrant book.
Winners of the competition will be invited to an awards ceremony in Central London where they will receive their prizes and the chance to meet some famous book and tv characters, like Big Chris and Roary the Racing Car