Fantastic Book Awards competition launched across Lancashire

More than 100 teachers attended the official launch of the book awards at the Marriott Hotel in Preston.

These awards will run until May 2019 and will involve thousands of children from Lancashire primary schools.

County coun Peter Buckley, Lancashire County Council’s cabinet member for community and cultural services, said: “This tremendous initiative to encourage reading is now running.

“We are fully committed to maintaining the high levels and standards of literacy here in Lancashire, and this is an important way that we do this.

“I will be taking a keen interest to see who has won next May.”

The main aim of the awards, developed by Lancashire’s school library service, is to support reading for pleasure and enjoyment.

Nine to 11-year-old pupils will be introduced to newly-published fiction titles and encouraged to meet and discuss them at informal book clubs.