Young critics excel in book review competition

Young critics excel in New Zealand Book Council book review competition

Three discerning young readers will have their book reviews published to teachers nationwide, as winners of a new Book Council competition for children.

The winners of the first New Zealand Book Council review competition, sponsored by Scholastic NZ, are Emily Parker (7) from Greenhithe School, Rhea duFresne-Mann (12) from Waimea Intermediate in Nelson, and Phoebe Fordyce (13) from Ruawai College in Northland.

Each student has won a large selection of recent Scholastic titles, along with the honour of seeing their reviews in print in the October edition of Book Council review publication for teachers, The School Library, and online on the New Zealand Book Council website.

The prize of New Zealand books and a 2011 membership of the New Zealand Book Council for the school who encouraged the most students to enter were awarded to Greenhithe School in Auckland.

Judge Nyssa Brown says: ‘It was exciting to see so many young people writing so passionately about their favourite books. The stand out reviews were those that probed further into the themes underlying the book, rather than simply providing a summary of the plot.’

Scholastic NZ is providing sponsorship to allow this competition to be run continuously, with the aim of encouraging more young people to read and review books.

The next closing date for review entries is Friday 29 October. If you are a teacher, parent, or student, and are interested in entering or inspiring entries into the competition, please see www.bookcouncil.org.nz for more information.

ENDS

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