Twelve students from Years 7, 9 and 10 recently completed this year’s Carnegie Shadowing programme, celebrating weeks of reading and discussion by watching the live Carnegie Medal awards ceremony alongside schools across the UK.

Throughout the programme, students explored a range of shortlisted novels, sharing their opinions and debating which book they believed deserved to win. The live stream brought the experience to an exciting conclusion as they eagerly waited for the winning title to be announced.

There were mixed reactions when Wolf Siren by Beth O’Brien was named the Carnegie Shadowers Choice and Carnegie Medal winner. The Year 7 students were delighted that their favourite book had taken the top prize. The book is set in a world inspired by Norse mythology, Wolf Siren follows the story of a young girl as she searches for where she truly belongs. Through themes of courage, identity and self-discovery, the novel captivated many of the younger readers. Students were equally inspired by the winning author, Beth O’Brien, who is blind. During the live event, she spoke about her experiences as a writer and how her visual impairment has shaped both her life and her storytelling.

The Year 9 and Year 10 students, however, were disappointed that Popcorn by Rob Harell did not receive the award. Many felt the novel deserved greater recognition because of its thoughtful exploration of anxiety and the challenges that many young people face with their mental health. They praised the book for tackling an important topic with honesty and sensitivity, making it both powerful and relatable.

Although the students had different opinions about the final result, they all agreed that taking part in the Carnegie Shadowing programme had been a rewarding experience. Reading books outside their usual choices, discussing ideas with one another and hearing directly from the shortlisted authors made the programme both enjoyable and memorable. After the live awards ceremony, the group concluded the day by decorating the library’s Carnegie display with their own book reviews and recommendations. They hope their thoughts will inspire other students to pick up one of the shortlisted titles and discover a new favourite book.