Have your say on the YoungMinds Book Award 2008
17/06/2008
YoungMinds, the UK’s leading children’s mental health charity, is calling on young people across the country to choose the shortlist for its prestigious annual book award.
Relaunched this year, the YoungMinds Book Award 2008 will be given to a book for readers of 12 + which helps young people to cope with the challenges of growing up.
As part of the selection process teenagers will be invited to give their views on the plot, characters and unputdownability of the 12 longlisted books. Their six favourites will go on to form the award shortlist, from which a panel of expert judges will choose the winning book.
The web-based review process is open to all young people, either as individuals or groups. Already taking part are several teenage book groups as well as YoungMinds’ own groups for young people, Healthy Heads and Very Important Kids.
Sarah Brennan, Chief Executive of YoungMinds said: “Books can play a vital role in promoting the mental and emotional well being of young people. They can help break the isolation experienced by young people and demonstrate that their feelings and problems are not unique.
“We hope that as many young people as possible will get involved in the decision making process for this year’s book award, so that the winner reflects their opinions and experiences.”
The deadline for reviews is 1st September 2008, giving plenty of time for reading over the summer holidays. The winning book will be announced at an award ceremony on November 17th at the Unicorn Theatre, London.
The books selected for the longlist are
• A Note of Madness, Tabitha Suzuma
• Accidents of Nature, Harriet McBryide Johnson
• Dangerously Closer, Sandra Glover
• Journey to the End of the World, Henning Mankell
• Shooting the Moon, V.M. Jones
• This is What I Did, Ann Dee Ellis
• Cut off, Lynda Waterhouse
• From Where I stand, Tabitha Suzuma
• Girl meets Boy, Emily Smith
• Being Emily, Anne Donovan
• The Knife that Killed me, Anthony McGowan
For more information on how to get involved and a summary of the books, visit www.youngminds.org.uk/about-ym/youngminds-book-award
For immediate release: 17th June
Notes for editors:
1. YoungMinds is the UK's leading children's mental health charity committed to improving the mental health and emotional well-being of children and young people by ensuring mental health is placed firmly on the public and political agenda. For further information visit www.youngminds.org.uk
2. First launched in 2003, the YoungMinds Book Award was formerly given to a book for adults that shows the world through a child’s perspective. In 2007 it was awarded to Suzanne Sjoqvist for Still here with me, published by Jessica Kingsley, which illustrates the experiences of young people who have lost a parent. Past sponsors of the award have included Nicci Gerrard, Sean French and Philip Pullman.
3. For more information please contact Hannah Smith on 0207 336 1451 or email Hannah.smith@youngminds.org.uk
