Young Reviewers Needed for Young Minds Book Award 2010

As regular readers of this blog will know, Dear Dylan, my new novel for teens was recently long-listed for the Young Minds Book Awards.

Having selected their long-list of 12 books, Young Minds, the UK’s leading children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing charity is now calling on young people across the country to choose the shortlist for its prestigious annual book award.

The YoungMinds Book Award 2010, which is sponsored by the national reading charity Booktrust, will be given to a book for readers of 12 + which helps young people to cope with the challenges of growing up.

As part of the selection process we are inviting teens to give their views on the plot, characters and unputdownability of the 12 longlisted books. Their six favourites will go on to form the award shortlist, from which a panel of expert judges including three young people will choose the winning book.

The web-based review process is open to all young people, either as individuals or groups. Already taking part are several teenage book groups and schools as well as YoungMinds’ own groups for young people, Healthy Heads and Very Important Kids.

Sarah Brennan, Chief Executive of YoungMinds said: “Books can play a vital role in promoting the mental and emotional well being of young people. They can help break the isolation experienced by young people and demonstrate that their feelings and problems are not unique.