Staffordshire’s teenagers have chosen a spy school thriller as their favourite book of 2011.
I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have To Kill You by Ally Carter was chosen by the county’s teenagers as their top title of 2011 at the Young Teen Fiction (YTF) Award Celebration Day.
The book tells the story of the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a typical all-girls school that just happens to include advanced martial arts, chemical warfare and code breaking on its curriculum!
It has proved hugely popular with Staffordshire’s teenagers and over 180 pupils from schools across the county visited Uttoxeter Racecourse to take part in the awards ceremony. It was at the ceremony that they cast the final vote in a nomination and voting process that has been running since September last year.
Earlier this year, the six books shortlisted for this year’s award were announced as:
- Skulduggery Pleasant Mortal Coil by Derek Landy.
- I was Jane Austen’s Best Friend by Cora Harrison.
- Withering Tights by Louise Rennison.
- Mortlock by Jon Mayhew.
- My Name is Mina by David Almond.
- I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have To Kill You by Ally Carter.
To encourage young people to vote, pupils performed sketches from each book. Those taking part in the day also heard from guest authors Pete Johnson and MG Harris before the winner was announced.
Staffordshire County Councillor Robert Marshall said:
“Every year Staffordshire’s School Library Service runs the Young Teen Fiction Award to encourage young people to shout about the books that they enjoy and every year we are delighted by their impassioned response.
“Staffordshire’s teenagers obviously feel very strongly about what they do and don’t like to read. I take great pleasure in the fact that these young people derive so much enjoyment from what they’re reading and that they are so vocal in their opinions.
“I very much hope this passion for contemporary fiction continues and I want to encourage every 11-14 year old to make their view count in next year’s award.”
