The Young Quills 2019 shortlist is here!

Books, books, books – we’ve been surrounded by books in the HA office and what is more, we’ve been relying on other people to tell us about them. Yes, it’s been Young Quills reviewing time. From the start of this year pupils and students around the country have been delving into new historical fiction released in the UK in 2018, just so they can tell us (that is you and me) what they think of them.

Subjects ranging from the discovery of dinosaur bones to Anglo-Saxons kings, Egyptian mysteries, life in the Soviet Union and Antarctic exploration have all been explored through the lives of characters living in the past. Those journeys of discovery have been reported to us via book reviews from children as young as 8 through to 16 years. Using those reviews with ratings and recommendations, the HA staff have created a shortlist for three age categories.

This is the only fiction competition for children’s books where it is the recommended audience who help to devise the shortlist – and very good they are at it. A big thank you to all the schools and young people who contributed. You can read all their reviews here

Now, there is still work to be done – using those reviews three judges have the tough job of deciding a winner. Wish them luck, this will not be an easy task!

6-10 age group

• The Button War – by Avi
• Captain Rosalie – by Timothée de Fombelle
• The Book of Boy – by Catherin Gilbert Murdock
• Riddle of the Runes – by Janina Ramirez

11-13 year olds

• The Great Sea Dragon Discovery – by Pippa Goodheart
• Sky Chasers – by Emma Carroll
• The Skylarks' War – by Hilary McKay
• The Goose Road – by Rowena House
• Secrets of the Sun King – Emma Carroll
• Race to the Frozen North – by Catherine Johnson
• The First King of England – by Stuart Hill

14 years and upwards

• Orphan, Monster, Spy – by Matt Killeen
• Firebird – by Elizabeth Wein
• Lady Mary – by Lucy Worsley
• My Brigadista Year – by Katherine Paterson