The Cheshire Schools’ Book Award 2025 ceremony looked a little different this year as almost 200 pupils, teachers and librarians travelled to Storyhouse, Chester’s library and arts centre, for a packed day of activities and author talks. With seven of the ten shortlisted authors in attendance, it was a wonderful way to celebrate the award and the young readers who had read and championed the shortlist since its launch in October 2024. 

In the younger age category, Matt Goodfellow picked up the top prize for The Final Year, while attendee Liz Kessler came runner-up with Code Name Kingfisher. In the older age category, pupils voted Gavin Extence’s Finding Phoebe as the winner, with Ashley Hickson-Lovence’s Wild East coming a close second. After a day celebrating the joy of reading and creativity, the pupils were left feeling inspired and empowered by the author’s closing speeches, particularly Ashley Hickson-Lovence’s impassioned call, ‘[that] there’s real gold in your experience. Just please write them down. Your story has real value.”

Shortlisted author Manon Stefan Ros praised the pupils, writing that, ‘it’s so refreshing to chat to young people who genuinely enjoy reading!’ The importance of engaging with authors was clearly apparent, with one school librarian mentioning how ‘wonderful [it was] to hear how inspired and engaged the students were on the way home’.

The shortlist for the Cheshire Schools’ Book Award 2026 – the 20^th anniversary of the award – will be announced in October 2025.