Spark! Kingston and Richmond 
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Spark! Kingston and Richmond 
Book Awards
  • Home
  • About the awards
  • More info & resources
  • Get involved
  • Key dates
  • Media
  • Ages 4-7
  • Ages 7-9
  • Ages 9-11
  • Get in touch

For publishers

Kingston upon Thames

Kingston upon Thames

Kingston upon Thames

Out of Order sculpture, Kingston

There are over 35,000 primary aged children in our two boroughs, many of whom are already enthusiastic readers. Our aim is to reach not only them but also the children in our over 100 primary, infant and junior schools who do not always have access to new books.

Richmond upon Thames

Kingston upon Thames

Kingston upon Thames

Richmond Bridge

The Spark! Award has the support of the Education Leads in both Boroughs, AfC which is charged with supporting and running our education and children's services and our library teams and school leaders. During the shortlisting process we will also be working with the Centre for Primary Literacy in Education.

Submissions are now closed

 We look forward to recieving your submisions next year and will update this page accordingly. 

Considering making a submission?

We are inviting publishers to make a submission to the Spark! Award in any or all of our three age categories:

  • Ages 4-7 - picture story books
  • Ages 7-9 - younger fiction
  • Ages 9-11 - older children’s fiction


Titles should have been published or are about to be published between 1st November 2019 and 31st October 2020.


They should be written by authors and illustrators, resident in the United Kingdom and who wish to engage with our young people.


We are working with colleagues at the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) to ensure a fair and effective shortlisting process and further criteria will appear on our website as soon as possible. However, it is anticipated that these will be broad enough to include the best of contemporary writing for children. In essence, we are looking to shortlist the most engaging books that reflect our DIVERSE and EXCITING communities.


A special trophy will be awarded to each winning writer, and it is expected that the authors will wish to be involved in terms of reaching a wider audience in our boroughs and the ensuing positive publicity for each shortlisted book.


Writers will be invited to engage with our schools during the period January to May, through pre-recorded messages and at least one curated online 'visit' to groups of schools (we understand that this will be charged at Society of Authors’ rates). There is the potential for further visits and school bookings, where possible.


All shortlisted authors will be invited to our on-line ceremony in May when winners will be announced - as well as the pupil winners of the best and most creative responses to the books.


Members of the short-listing committees will be tweeting about the books that they are reading and enjoying and sending out these messages to teachers and pupils in our schools. Our plan is that the whole process will raise awareness and broaden understanding amongst the teachers, pupils and families of our two boroughs, of the great number of new and exciting books that are published each year for children. 

How to submit

Please send five copies of your proposed books in physical form to: 

Spark! Book Awards, 

Coombe Hill Junior School, 

Coombe Lane West, 

New Malden, 

Kingston upon Thames, 

KT2 7DD. 


Alternatively, you can send a single copy to the above address and a PDF can be submitted using our email address - sparkba@chj.rbksch.org.


Titles must be received by Friday 6th November 2020.


Each publisher may submit only one title per imprint for each of the three categories.


The final shortlisted books will be announced and promoted on social media, our website and in schools, libraries and local bookshops between January and May 2021.

These awards are led by an independent group of people working in education in Kingston & Richmond Schools. Spark! is working closely with AfC and is supported by the Education Leads of the two councils. 


WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE REGENCY BOOKSHOP IN SURBITON AND for CLARE SPENcER DESIGN, WHO PROVIDED our Spark! logo.  

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