Getting children involved in the Information Book Award by Chris Routh
Awards can be a fun way to engage readers with new books. Chris Routh has shared some ideas around getting children involved with the SLA Information Book Award. Chris Routh is the current Chair of the Reading Children’s Book Group. After stepping down from the judging panel for the Information Book Award a couple of years ago, she has been creating the resources which accompany the award.
Getting children involved in the Information Book Award
Now in its thirteenth year, the School Library Association’s Information Book Award highlights some of the best non-fiction titles published during the previous year. It also offers schools and book groups with the opportunity to involve children and young people in judging the shortlisted books, while promoting reading non-fiction for personal interest and pleasure at the same time.
With three age-related categories to consider (0-7; 8-12; and 13-16), teachers, librarians and book group leaders can select the most suitable shortlists for the children they work with. Reading Children’s Book Group, usually concentrates on the categories for Young Children and Young Readers. We begin the session by talking about criteria for judging, briefly introducing the books and reading extracts from them, and then giving the children plenty of time to look at each book more closely before inviting them to vote. The results are submitted to the SLA website. As the Children’s Choice Shadowing closes on 9th November 2023, this would make a great activity for book clubs/groups and library lessons in the lead up to or during the first week of National Non-Fiction November. The results are announced towards the end of the month.
When working as a secondary school librarian, I developed a library lesson for Year 7, 8 & 9s, which involved them looking at each of the three shortlists. This encouraged students to think more carefully about the criteria involved in judging books intended for different age groups. It required a more objective approach to choosing ‘the best book’ out of three or four books on completely different subjects, which is, of course, very different from choosing the best book out of several on the same topic for a research task. I also devised a short quiz based on the shortlisted books to top and tail each lesson, which was always enjoyed by staff and students alike.
The criteria for judging the shortlisted books could include first impressions, organisation, the language used, the appeal of the subject, the reliability and relevance of the information and the originality of the approach to the topic. Everyone will have a slightly different view and preference – it’s very challenging not to be totally subjective! – and if there is the time and opportunity for the young judges to discuss the books with a friend, in a small group or even the whole class, they can work towards reaching a consensus of opinion, which is exactly what the adult judges have to do. There are all sorts of skills involved here – listening to others, being able to articulate and justify opinions, and agreeing to differ or compromising!!
It is always interesting for everyone involved to see whether the children’s choices match or differ from those of the adult judges. Whatever the outcome, the Children’s Choices are regarded as having the same level of importance and value.
Visit the dedicated area on the School Library Association’s website to see information about how to get involved, plus a range of resources for 2023. These include an introductory PowerPoint & notes; information about & suggested activities for each of the 11 shortlisted title; tips on how to encourage children and young people to read information books; and a printable bookmark. https://www.sla.org.uk/iba-2023
Investing in some or all of the carefully selected shortlisted books is guaranteed to be a worthwhile investment for schools and libraries. Discounted titles and packs are available from Peters https://peters.co.uk/iba