News Archive

  • Short Story Competition 2011 We were thrilled to receive over 700 entries and 45 different schools in the Bookfeast/Blackwell’s Short Story Competition 2011. After a team of Blackwell’s staff read through all the stories, local author John Foster judged the finalists together with Kate Stilborn, Blackwell’s Area Manager.  The last six stories were put forward to an exciting prize giving ceremony for the nomiated writers.  We’re excited to be able to share the winning stories with you.  Enjoy! 
    • Winning Story, Thena Brooker, West Kidlington Primary School
    Download the story here: 1st Place – Thena Brooker
    • 2nd Place, Seraphina Goeldner Thompson, St Aloysius Catholic Primary School
    Download the story here: 2nd Place – Seraphina
    • 3rd Place, Kerena Norris, Bishop Loveday School
    Download the story here: 3rd Place – Kerena Norris
    • 4th Place, Konstantin Nomerotski, St Michael’s CofE Primary School
    Download the story here: 4th Place – Konstantin Nomerotski
    • 5th Place, Lauren Durnall, Thomas Reade Primary School
    Download the story here: 5th Place – Lauren Durnall
    • 6th Place, Jacob Willis, Charlton Primary School
    Download the story here: 6th Place – Jacob Willis We’re also delighted to share the winnder of a ‘highly commended’ award:
    • Shola Enowonlu, Windmill Primary School
    Download the story here: Highly Commended – Shola Enwonwu WELL DONE to the winners and all who entered – we had an imaginative selection of stories which we all enjoyed reading.
  • Bookfeast Schools Festival March saw the first Bookfeast Schools Festival take place at the University Museum of Natural History and Pitt Rivers Museums in Oxford, with two additional events at Rochester House, future home of the Story Museum. Over 2400 Oxfordshire children from 40 primary schools attended 21 author events, featuring some of our top children’s writers, poets and artists: Michael Rosen, Jeremy Strong, Michael Lawrence, Tony Bradman, Lauren St John to name a few, as well as exciting new talents such as Guy Bass, Katherine Rundell, Emma Dodd and Elen Caldecott. It was an ambitious programme for Bookfeast; 4 packed days of events, challenging new venues and the addition of the Story Trail, an optional museum-led activity for schools running after the author sessions. A winning combination it seems – stimulating talks and workshops with top tips from the experts, followed by the chance for children to create stories of their own, inspired by the treasures they discovered in the museums. Our thanks must go to the wonderful Education teams at the Museums and to the Story Museum for all their support, and to Festival sponsors Oxford University Press, Pearson Education and Blackwell’s Bookshop. We had some really positive feedback about the new approach and new venues introduced this year. Some of the authors told us what they thought: “My brother and I thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Bookfeast Schools Festival with its original and engaging approach to making reading fun for children of all ages. The wonderful space of the Natural History and Pitt Rivers Museums and the ever-evolving Story Museum were integral in captivating the imagination and inspiring new stories from all those present – creators and young readers alike! We look forward to contributing further to this remarkable festival as it grows and grows.” (Comic book creators Robin & Lorenzo Etherington who spoke to over 200 children at two lively and entertaining workshops about how to write and illustrate stories) “Thank you for inviting me to such a great event – the venue was great and the children were a treat!” (Author) We had some new volunteers helping us out this year who had good things to say about the Festival: “I enjoyed the Bookfeast Schools Festival very much. As a child, I loved reading and it is wonderful, as well as important, to have a festival like Bookfeast that undoubtedly will inspire future generations. I certainly would have loved to have met my favourite authors and heard them talk about their books when I was at school. The location chosen for the festival was perfect for firing imaginations too, it couldn’t have been better placed. Long may it continue to inspire!” (Jayne, Volunteer) “It was great to see how excited the children were about meeting and having the author sign their books. The mix of sitting listening to the author and the activity of the story trail was a good idea, and great variety for the children.” (Gary, Volunteer) “The location was great, magical for the kids – particularly the dead animals and all of those scary things to look at! The Pitt Rivers and Oxford University Museum of Natural History are a great combination of “magical” and “serious”. Every child I spoke to enjoyed the day – I think it made them feel part of a “grown up” world. As the children filed in lots of them said “wow” when they saw the theatre!” (Lynda, Volunteer) We are delighted that our Sponsor’s Blackwells felt that the festival hit the mark: “From our perspective the week was a success and a huge pleasure to be involved with. The cooperation and friendliness [of those involved] was wonderful. My feedback is 110% positive.” There are some photos of the Bookfeast Schools Festival 2001 on the home page, provided courtesy of Tei Williams.
  • Feedback In November we held a compeition asking for feedback on our website. We gave away 25 books to each of 2 winners, and will be using their suggestions to improve the site – coming soon
  • CIAO! Festival In 2010 we  worked with the CIAO! Festival (see WWW.CIAOFESTIVAL.ORG.UK) on their Ark Project.  The Ark Project was an exciting arts and science project encouraging children to produce a positive vision of a low carbon future.  The festival saw arts organisations and scientists work with schools to produce work that will be displayed and performed on an “Ark” built out of recycled material.  Bookfeast were delighted to be partnered with Wolvercote Primary school – the year 5 children will be working with author Pie Corbett and also linking up with St Paul’s in Delhi.  Both sets of children produced poems and stories that for display and performance on the Ark which was unmissable on the grass in front of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
  • Oxford Literary Festival During 2009, Bookfeast and The Art Room (HTTP://WWW.THEARTROOM.ORG.UK/)  worked together on a poet-lead, poetry & art project pilot that resulted in a group of Year 7 students having their work displayed at the Oxford Literary Festival.  The Art Room is an organisation that offers art therapy to students who are having difficulties managing their studies and helping them re-engage with mainstream education.   The students went to visit the exhibition where they were delighted by the positive reactions and comments by both organisers and visitors.  The Art Room said:  “This kind of experience helps to build the confidence and self-esteem these children so badly need”
  • Other events Events which brought primary schoolchildren and authors together to create written and told stories using the inspiration of world-famous Oxford settings such as the Pitt Rivers and Ashmolean Museums.
  • Readers in Residence participative events for over 1030 primary school children over the last 5 years with authors taking place in 23 libraries all over Oxfordshire.
  • short story competitions Seven annual short story competitions for 9 – 13 year olds judged by Philip Pullman, Michael Morpurgo and Geraldine McCaughrean,John Foster, Nick Ward,Sue Mongredien and Julia Golding and attracting over 3000 entries.  We now run an annual short story competition (in collaboration with Oxfordshire’s Primary Strategy Unit) that over the last two years has attracted entries from 1,900 Key Stage 1 & 2 primary school children
  • workshops Creating a series of workshops, based in libraries, for two groups of looked after children (ages 9 –13), mixing poetry, word games and drama. Meet the Author Authors are real people!  We find children are endlessly fascinated with the people who make the stories that they love.  We have made it possible for 1,030 Primary school children to visit an author – a “Reader in Residence” at 23 libraries around the county.
  • Poetry Slams we have run eight Youth Poetry Slams for Secondary Schools with Slam Productions’ Marcus Moore and Sara Jane Arbury.  Poetry Slams challenge young people to think about the kind of poems they like, and why this is now continued as part of the A Question of Words competition.