In case you hadn't heard, the winners of the 2008 Leeds book Awards were:

Aged 9-11 Catergory- Derek Landy, Skulduggery Pleasant.
Aged 11-14 Catergory - John Boyne, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
More info here: http://www.leedsbookawards.co.uk/

Breezereads and Waterstones present:
A Cosmic evening with Frank Cottrell Boyce

Where: Waterstones, 93-97 Albion Street, Leeds, Tel: 244 4588
When: Friday 27th June at 6.00pm

Come along and meet bestselling, award winning author (Millions and Framed) and screenplay writer, Frank Cottrell Boyce as he talks about his great new novel for young people, Cosmic:

Liam is too big for his boots, his football strip, and his school blazer. But being super-sized height-wise has its advantages: he's the only eleven-year-old to ever ride the G-force defying cosmic rollercoaster or be offered the chance to drive a Porsche. Long-legged Liam makes a giant leap for boy-kind by competing with a group of adults for the chance to go into space. Is Liam the best boy for the job? Sometimes being big isn't all about being a grown-up.


Find out about Frank’s life as a writer of award winning children’s books and acclaimed films such as Welcome to Sarajevo, Millions, Hilary and Jackie, 24 Hour Party People and a Cock and Bull Story.

The event is free and everyone is welcome.

For more information contact Debbie Moody, Tel: 0113 395 2337,
Email: deborah.moody@leeds.gov.uk

Tins, by Alex Shearer

Fergal is a self-confessed nerd with an eccentric hobby: tin collecting. He likes the lucky dip aspect of buying tins that have their labels missing - after all, you never know what might be inside. It's Fergal's idea of living dangerously. That is, until the day he innocently opens up a tin to find...a bloodied human finger. Everyone thinks it's a joke. But not Fergal - and when his next tin discovery is a note with the word 'Help' scribbled on it, he feels compelled to track down the factory responsible for these mysterious and macabre products. Fergal might be hungry to play detective, but has he opened a can of worms...? This Dahl-esque black comedy will have readers squirming on the edge of their seats. Funny, frightening and totally gross - Alex Shearer taps into the repulsive-but-appealing tradition of urban myths that are perennial playground fodder.

Next meeting 2-3pm, Sat 14th June, 'Your Space' in Leeds Central Library

Breeze Reads Virtual Book Club

The Breeze International Youth Festival and Leeds Libraries are working in partnership to present breezereads – an exciting new series of events for young people.

Following public readings from Melvin Burgess, Cathy Hopkins and Sarah Singleton, lots more popular writers will be visiting Leeds this year giving you the chance to meet your favourite author and ask them questions about their work.

2008 is The National Year of Reading.

To celebrate the launch of the National Year of Reading on 26th April, breezereads will be inviting you to join in with a virtual book club and other fun activities to keep you entertained while exercising your grey matter.

More details coming very soon!

Virtual Book Club

Join the Breeze Reads Virtual BookClub. Read the featured book and tell us what you think about it. You can also find out more about other great books to read and things to do. You can even tell us which books you would like to see highlighted later on. All you have to do to take part is get hold of a copy of the book, read it and share your thoughts online here at Breeze. You’ll be able to swap opinions and ideas with other readers and recommend books for people to try.

To join click on the link:

http://www.breezeleeds.org/breezereads

The first Breeze Reads featured book is Anne Frank: the diary of a young girl

How do I get the book?
It’s easy. You can borrow the book from your local library or your school library.
Joining the library is easy and free.

You can find out more about Leeds Libraries by looking at
www.leeds.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/libraries.aspx

Want to buy a copy of the book? We are currently arranging a discount for you lucky Breeze card holders with local bookshops. Details to be announced very soon – watch this space!

Leeds book Awards Ceremony

Things have changed and we have now decided to announce the winners at the Awards Ceremony, which is to be held at Trinity and All Saints' College, Brownberrie Lane, Horsforth on 21st May. 11-14 event, 10a.m.-12, 9-11 event, 1p.m. -3.

The College has plenty of parking and a fabulous auditorium. Craig Bradley (entertainer and performance poet) will be Master of Ceremonies and there will be a chance to buy books as well.
If you are an author and you are reading this, we hope you have already received your offical invitation to the ceremony. Please try to attend- the children and young people reading your books are really keen to meet you all!

Animal farm by Gorge Orwell

Animal farm is depressing and brutal, two facts you have to get used to
when reading Orwell’s representation of the Russian revolution.
Set on animal farm, the book tells a chilling tale always building pace to its climatic ending. Always remember ‘all animals are equal but some more equal than others.’
5/5

Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

It is really hard to talk a about this book without revealing the ending
The story is told by Bruno an 8 year old who has just moved to a new home. What is the fence with the “out with” sign hanging on it, what does his dad do there and who is the boy in the stripped pyjamas.
All is revealed by the end of this stunning and moving book.
5/5

Finding Violet Park by Jenny Valentine

This is a very weird book. Lucas finds violet ashes on a shelf in a taxi cab office. He take here to his Gran’s and decides to find out her life.
He finds out that she much more linked to his family than he thinks, she knew his farther who ran away years ago. A funny and interesting read.
5/5

The next 'Teen Reads' session will be Saturday 26th January and we will be starting to look at some of the titles shortlisted for the new 'Leeds Book Awards.' Come along at 2-3pm.

Leeds Book Awards Shortlist Announced

Shortlist for 11-14 year old category

Rhiannon Lassiter - Bad blood

Michael Morpurgo - Alone on a wide wide sea

Roderick Gordon - Tunnels

John Boyne - The boy in the striped pyjamas

Jenny Valentine - Finding Violet Park

Pauline Francis - Raven Queen

The next 'Teen Reads' session will be Saturday 26th January and we will be starting to look at some of the titles shortlisted for the new 'Leeds Book Awards.' The shortlist will be announced on 6th December.

Shattering glass by Gail Giles

This is deeply scary and psychological book. From its beginning to its brutal horrifying climax, it builds suspense as we see Simon Glass turn from class nerd and joke to one of the most popular people in the school. But the transformation unlocks something in Glass and will lead to him to discovering a terrible secret about rob king popular and the mastermind behind Simon’s transformation.

Shattering glass is a wonderful read full of deep characters and personal agendas. 5/5



My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick.

Set in the middle of winter this book tells the story of Peter and his father Tomas and the unquiet zombie like creatures that are terrorising Chunst, the village where they work. 3.5/5