Voting opens for 2018 Readers Awards

Voting for the Books Are My Bag Readers Awards - the only book awards curated by bookshops and voted for by booklovers - is now open, with shortlisted books including Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend and Where the World Ends by Geraldine McCaughrean.

www.nationalbooktokens.com/vote

Young people who read are happier!

Readers know that books and stories can help you escape from your real-life problems, but new research has shown that young people who read are happier than those who don't.

An underwater thriller for 11+ readers

Author Lindsay Galvin has been telling us how living in Thailand helped inspire her thrilling adventure, The Secret Deep (Chicken House), which has an incredible mystery at its heart.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVXyNYK2scA

Take part in the SLAMbassadors Showcase!

Teams, schools and individuals aged 13 - 25 are all invited to apply to take part in the SLAMbassadors Showcase on Sunday 18th November in London. The deadline for applications is 31st August.

slam.poetrysociety.org.uk/blog/slambassadors-2018-launches/

Book set in a boot factory wins prize

A football-themed book, Kick by Mitch Johnson, has won an award for 'debut' writers who have never had a book published before.

Jacqueline Wilson Creative Prize

Write a story about an 'unlikely friendship' and you could get to meet author Jacqueline Wilson, as well as winning a host of other prizes in the Jacqueline Wilson Creative Prize 2018.

www.penguin.co.uk/puffin/articles/competitions/the-jacqueline-wilson-creative-writing-prize-2018/

Making a living as a young writer

We spoke to author Alice Oseman, whose book I Was Born For This, was recently published by HarperCollins. We asked for Alice's advice to other young people trying to make it as writers.

Where the World Ends wins Carnegie Medal

Geraldine McCaughrean has won the Carnegie Medal for her powerful novel, Where the World Ends (Usborne Books) while Canadian illustrator Sydney Smith wins the Kate Greenaway Medal for his illustrations of Joanne Schwartz's Town Is by the Sea (Walker Books).