Information for authors

Photo © Dan Freedman at Patcham High School
Give an award today...

You can always tell a school where books are valued. The displays, the art, posters, competitions and incentives are one thing. But what really tells is the children. They hold books, embrace them, talk about them, make them, illustrate and write them. They know books are special….

James Mayhew

As a group of children’s writers and illustrators, we visit thousands of schools and see a wide range of approaches to teaching literacy and encouraging reading. We all meet staff who are doing exceptional work, so we have developed an immediate way for individual authors to honour a school that has impressed them with their promotion of reading for pleasure, with a CWIG Reading for Pleasure Award.

Your award shouldn’t just be for a great visit or if you were given a wonderful lunch! If you visit lots of schools, you will know when you have come across a school that is doing that little bit more – maintaining the library at all costs, making strong links with the community library, encouraging peer-to-peer recommendations, working with reluctant readers, running book clubs or reading groups and putting on mini-festivals or literary and illustrative activities that go beyond the remit of the curriculum.

Join us in rewarding those schools that go the extra mile in encouraging children to read for pleasure.

This year’s deadline is 13 August 2024.

How many awards can I give?

CWIG members can honour, via the SoA, schools with 3 awards from now until 13 August 2024.

You must have visited the school, either virtually or in person, over September 2023-July 2024.

Schools can receive more than one award from different authors.

Awards can be given to any nursery, primary, secondary or special schools throughout the world that an author has visited (either virtually or in person) during the 2023/24 school year. 

Members can reward schools with an award in whatever combination they like e.g. one primary, two secondaries.

Welsh schools will receive certificates in English and Welsh.

Who is the scheme open to?

SoA members only.

When do I submit details?

This scheme operates on a rolling basis, so members can reward schools in whatever order or timing that suits. You could spontaneously gift your award immediately after your visit when you feel really inspired; or leave your decision to the end of a term or the school year. We would prefer early nominations to sustain interest in the award throughout the year.

How do I nominate?

You will need to send us contact details along with a citation (no more than 150 words) detailing why you are presenting an award. An optional paragraph of why the school deserves the award and images would be appreciated for publicity purposes. Please download and complete the nomination form.

Press and publicity

We will let you know when we have sent the school their certificate by circulating details of your award on our social media platforms – so be be sure to include your Twitter handle. 

Do encourage your school to make the most of their achievement by downloading the award logo use on their official letters, newsletters and any publicity materials, including the sample press release below that they can customise and send to local press. Do offer to provide a quote for it!

When tweeting about the award, please use #CWIGAward #readingforpleasure, tag @Soc_of_Authors and mention the school, librarian, staff or headteacher. If the award is given around an annual event or local festival you may like to mention that too, including World Book Day and National Libraries Week.

You can also download this flyer to send to schools.

Sample tweets:

I’ve given @school @librarian/teacher a @Soc_of_Authors #CWIGAward for their work inspiring #readingforpleasure.

Congratulations to @secondaryschool @librarian/teacher for their @Soc_of_Authors #CWIGAward for their amazing promotion of #readingforpleasure

I awarded @secondaryschool @librarian/teacher a @Soc_of_Authors #CWIGAward for developing #R4P. Congratulations, you are an inspiration!