Your pupils could have access to a stack of the top children’s books of 2005, plus (for a chosen few) a trip to the Hay Festival in summer half-term next year. Federation of Children’s Book Groups volunteers are now recruiting young judges in key stages 1 to 3 for the next Red House Children’s Book Award, and dropping off book bags at participating schools.

Pupils vote individually for a longlist of 50 books by early next term and a shortlist of 10 before Easter; last year the vast majority of 129,020 children’s votes came through schools. For the first time next year, the award is sponsoring events at Hay for shortlisted authors and illustrators.

There are places for 70 children at one of the events followed by the presentation on June 2. National organiser Marianne Adey can point you to your regional organiser: email marianne.adey@ aol.com. For more about the FCBG’s activities, see www.fcbg.org.uk.