500 Words competition

The BBC's popular short story writing competition, 500 Words, is back and is inviting children aged five to 13 years to send in their short stories! The competition closes at 7pm on Thursday 23rd February.

www.bbc.co.uk/500words

Short story competition for Surrey schools

A short story competition has been launched by the Warwick School in Surrey school for local students in the borough of Reigate and Banstead. The competition is open to those in Years five to nine and stories must be set in the local area.

Brian Conaghan wins Costa children's award

Costa has announced the winners of the Costa Book Awards 2016 in the First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children's Book categories, with Brian Conaghan taking the children's award for his YA novel, The Bombs That Brought Us Together.

Costa Book Awards 2016 shortlist announced

The shortlist for this year's Costa Book Awards has been announced with authors Francesca Simon, Brian Conaghan, Patrice Lawrence and Ross Welford all shortlisted for the children's award.

www.costabookawards.com

Hard-hitting novel wins Guardian children's prize

Alex Wheatle has won the Guardian children's fiction prize for his gritty urban novel Crongton Knights, the second in a planned trilogy set on a fictitious inner-city estate. The award was announced this evening.

The Last Beginning giveaway!

Lauren James's debut The Next Together, about fate and never-ending love, attracted lots of attention. Now we're giving it away - together with the concluding book, The Last Beginning! (Walker Books).

The Guardian children's award shortlist

Authors Tanya Landman and Alex Wheatle will vie with US writer Brian Selznick and Australian Zana Fraillon for this year's Guardian children's fiction prize 2016.

Jeff Kinney to appear live in Blackpool

Wimpy Kid fans will be thrilled to hear that author Jeff Kinney will be doing a live event in Blackpool this November!

jeffkinney.seetickets.com