The Carnegie Medal, first awarded in 1936 is the UK’s oldest most prestigious book award. Judged by children’s librarians it is awarded for “outstanding achievement in children’s writing”. Our TCS Carnegie Shadowing Book group 2021 drew to a festive close this week with our annual Carnegie Party. Everyone who had read any of the shortlist this year (both students and staff) were invited to hear recorded excerpts from the acceptance speeches of both the main medal winner – Jason Reynolds with “Look Both Ways”, and the lovely Manjeet Mann who was a deserved winner for the Shadowers’ Choice Award – with “Run Rebel” voted for by young people.
Jason Reynolds is currently the American ambassador for young people’s literature. “Look Both Ways” is a collection of ten short stories that link together about children walking home from school. Judges described how it “brim[s] with humour, empathy and humanity”, and “challenges the reader to see differently in an engaging and fresh way”. Reynolds himself explained in his acceptance speech that his book was an exploration of the space children have between school and home. “Every child has a different journey and it’s all about the fact that despite those journeys we are all interconnected. One people. One race. Having similar experiences and yet different experience altogether.”
Manjeet’s stunning debut “Run Rebel” is a beautifully written, eye-opening verse novel that captivated our shadowers! Well worth trying if you haven’t read it yet – and I am sure it will inspire empathy and greater understanding in many of our students in the future too… It is about Amber, a talented athlete who has to struggle to gain freedom from an abusive and controlling home life. It certainly created a lot of thoughtful discussion amongst our book group!
Mrs McKeeman made a fabulous cake – in honour of the official winner – which was shared by all and very delicious! We also awarded prizes of a £10 book token to Lily Mae in Year 7, as well as a copy of the medal winning book, for best Shadowing review about “On Midnight Beach”. Ana (Y9) won a book of her choice from the shortlist for the runner up review… and thanks goes to Head of English Mrs Kayleigh Durman for judging the reviews! TCS Shadowing Group reviews can be seen here: – https://carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/reading-group/teignmouth-community-school-exeter-road/
We are hoping to follow up the book group with a lunchtime meeting in July to hear an interview with Manjeet Mann’s about her new verse novel “The Crossing” just published in June 2021. This should appeal to all our “Run Rebel” fans and if any of them wish to ask her questions about her new book then please email them directly to Mrs Masterman by the end of this week Friday 25th June, so that she can pass them on.