Books to Readers

This project builds on our relationships with independent bookshops to reach young readers who might not otherwise have access to Jhalak Prize books. We began the project with a pilot programme bringing together six schools in east London in 2023 and are slowly expanding it across the country.

 

The Schools Project begins in April each year once the shortlist is announced and culminates with an event at the end of the summer term after the winner is announced. The Jhalak team connects a well-resourced school (private or state) with one or more local under-resourced schools and together they organise reading groups of the Jhalak Children’s and Young Adult Prize shortlist.

 

Over the summer term the groups prepare a creative response, and present these to each other at an event at the host school. We also invite one or more longlisted authors to this final event. The key to this project is that the responses are dynamic and student-led. Students groups have prepared and presented a song, a diorama, an origami workshop and a 3D art installation as well as an ad-libbed performance of a scene from their chosen book.

 

Schools and bookshops share aspects of the process & event on their social media and websites (with appropriate permission consent), and the student groups are named as Jhalak Prize Champions for their participation.

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