Hooray for School Librarians!

The School Libraries Association has put Being a Girl on the shortlist for their Information Book Award.

Getting a book on a shortlist is always lovely.   It's a big smiley thumbs-up.  And as an ex-teacher, I'm really chuffed to get a big smiley thumbs-up from our school librarians.  Have no doubt about it, they do a tricky and much needed job!  All those kids who wander in and out of the library are in the care of the librarian and so are all those books on the shelves.  And some of those kids are 11-year-olds who want to read Horrid Henry and some of them are 11-year-olds who want to read Stephen King. And then there are the sixth-formers with beards who want to know about Marxism or Monet...   And the school librarian has to look after all of them and help everyone find the books they are ready for and which won't freak them out and put them off reading for life.  Strategically, it's enough to melt my head!  And that's without factoring in those fantastic books which can't be let loose on the shelves but have to live in the Four-Letter-Bomb Cupboard instead.  Yes, Curious Incident, I'm talking about you!

So, anyway, a thumbs-up for Being a Girl has made me happy.  Because it means that in spite of the unavoidable and inevitably tricky content - like... oh... I dunno...

and... maybe...

.... - the responsible librarians liked it!

Phew!!!  And Thank you xxx

To read about the Information Book Award and to see the whole shortlist, please click here. There are some absolutely cracking titles on there!

Finally because I'm in a good mood and because SOPHIE SOMEONE is out in paperback on May 5th, I'm going to give away a signed SOPHIE and a signed BEING A GIRL.  To be in with a chance of winning, just email me on hayleylong@hayleylong.org before the end of April with this secret password:  Hi Hayley, Go on then - I'll 'ave'm.

The winner will be chosen at random by my house rabbit.