The Kids' Lit Quiz

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Students
Authors
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Spectators
Librarians and teachers

Kids say (in their own words)

Challenging but fun. I've read a million books but you always ask the questions on the 10 I haven't read!
The kids' lit quiz is amazing. It's a brilliant experience and is really fun. I will never forget it.
A great experience. Like nothing I have ever done before
I've been twice. It gets better each time
I love it. I've been looking forward to it for ages and it's brilliant. Very hard but good.
Winning the books was the best part.
I thought it was really good and the questions were really hard but we kept trying but didn't win.
It's very fun and I love looking at all the different posters for books and meeting different Authors.
We really really enjoy it (we were here last year too). It would be great if there was another one for y9 & y10 so we could keep taking part. Thanks.
Very interesting. Learn lots of things. Find out about good books. Well organised. Good points system.
I enjoyed seeing our scores on the board and hearing the answers to the questions we didn't know.
The quiz is really good. Thanks for letting us win the first round and giving us free books!
Good crack. Fun.
It's great. It's very brain-stimulating. And you get to win cash!
This is a really good quiz. It should continue. Very hard questions but fun!
Very enjoyable. Lots of good questions to make you go eh?
Fun, fun fun FUN! Like the money questions!
Good fun. Much better than school. Gets you interested in more books and enjoyably competitive.
Really fun.
A really great way to express how you feel about reading. Exciting and fun. We like the audience participation parts.
The Kids' Lit Quiz was an exciting, enjoyable afternoon as it gave me a chance to use knowledge that most of the time we wouldn't use from reading books, plus it makes you more enthusiastic about reading. I also had the chance to meet authors at the events.
The Kids' Lit Quiz was very fun and is a great way to test your book knowledge. It was a brilliant day out.
The thing I enjoyed most was using my brain to try and answer all the questions.
It was really fun and we even won some free books.
What I enjoyed most was taking part. I liked the questions and being with people ....it was fun.
I enjoyed the KLQ. It was great learning more about books and having the chance to test my knowledge. There were some great prizes for winning rounds.
It gave me a great chance to talk to other people who love reading. It was really good to swap book knowledge with other people of my age. I got loads of great recommendations for other books that I know I will love.
I would definitely recommend going to watch or take part because it was great fun.

Authors write

Eva Ibbotson: I attended the finals of the Kids' Lit Quiz to help give out the prizes, and was awed and amazed by the knowledge of books and the general expertise shown by the children taking part. I could not have answered half the questions that they tackled, and it made me aware of how privileged one is as a children's author to write for such an audience, and how important it is to give such readers every encouragement.
Mark Robson: The KLQ is an outstanding vehicle for the promotion of children's literature. It is without doubt the best organised, best produced and most exciting literary event of the year for young people. I attended four regional finals this year. One only has to feel the buzz of excitement amongst the youngsters to see its value. I make these events the top priority in my diary, as they revitalise my faith in the positive power that literature has to influence young people.
Gillian Cross: I think the Kids' Lit Quiz is an important project which excites children about books and reading in many different ways. It's impossible not to be impressed by the enthusiasm and knowledge of the young people who take part. Wayne Mills is amazingly skillful at providing up to date questions at exactly the right level year after year and the whole thing is organised and run very professionally. The international dimension is important and the potential for involving parents is excellent. Above all it's extraordinarily enjoyable! I can't wait for next year's KLQ.
Julia Golding: It always amazes me the depth of knowledge that the Kids' Lit Quiz reveals in our younger readers. Reading is not a skill that receives the same plaudits at school as the sporty or theatrical, so the quiz gives the bookworms a unique chance to shine and encourages them by bringing them together with other like minded children from all over the world. Long may it last.
Linda Newbery: Excellent enthusiasm from all participants and supporters. The range of questions was just right, drawing on both traditional and modern books and stories. The knowledge of the children was very impressive.

Supporters and Sponsors write

Kim Pickin, Chief Executive, The Story Museum: The Story Museum exists to inspire learning through story - as stories are so essential for developing children's language, reasoning, imagination and empathy. We are very pleased to be associated with Kids Lit Quiz which celebrates the richness of children's literature and encourages reading for pleasure.
Cllr Keith R Mitchell CBE, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council: Call me old-fashioned but I think reading and books are hugely important. This importance is not diminished by the internet age; I think it is enhanced. I was brought up by parents who always had books in the house and who read to me and encouraged me to read for myself from an early age. I have always loved reading and, although my present role puts great pressure on my free time, I always have two or three books "on the go" at any one time and hundreds more to read when time permits. I am lucky to have had that start. Not everyone has that good fortune and pressures like texting, poor quality media output and the red top newspapers all require countering by promoting literature positively. The Kids' Lit competition is a wonderful opportunity to promote the enjoyment and value of reading through schools and therefore reaching children from every background.
Joy Dye, Waterstones Bookseller: Amazingly well put together, really impressed with the way the questions were pitched. I'd be glad to come again with stock.

Spectator Comments

What an absolute treat to see so many youngsters so excited about books!
A lovely atmosphere where the children are thoroughly engaged and interested. A good combination of questions, and very well organized.
A very enjoyable and educational experience for all involved. The children were very animated and enthusiastic. This is a fantastic idea, it really makes the children keen to read and know more, plus tests the knowledge they have already retained.
The quiz master has got such an excellent bond with the pupils - he engages and challenges the students with well considered questions from a variety of subjects.
The Heat was enjoyable: fun both for the kids and the spectators.

Librarians' and Teachers' Praise for the KLQ

Just a great event. Fun! Nice to take part in an international event and feel part of the community of reading. Good for students to see other children enthusiastic about books and reading.
This year saw us move into the new Performing Arts Centre at Stewart's Meville College and it looks like it was a wise move as we had more spectators than ever before. As always the tension was apparent even in the early rounds with everyone desperate to secure a place in the UK final in Newcastle.
Good to have a competition that rewards readers. Great build up and excitement in school before we go to the heat. Always a very positive response in school and those who take part really enjoy it. Parents think it's good to have something other than sport and music.
Great seeing lots of children who know a lot about books and authors. Seeing their obvious enjoyment and hearing how much they know is fantastic.
Allows students access to a huge range of literature and gets y7 and y8 talking together about what they read. It helps me to focus more on new literature for this age group. Parents are very supportive too.
A great opportunity to meet other students who enjoy reading - and so many of them! The variety of prizes really motivates the kids. Fantastic to be part of an activity outside the school community. Started the pupils creating their own extra-curricular activities in the library based on reading books. They're excited to share their favourites. Gives pupils who love reading the opportunity to compete - something different to sports and music - the general competitions which take place. Much more reading happening now.
Fun. Kids so enthusiastic to share ideas on books. Helps teachers learn about new releases and popular selections. All very positive feedback from parents - great for building team spirit.
Obvious enjoyment on the part of the kids. Its great to see how much children know about reading. There's a great buzz in school leading up to the event generated by the kids' commitment and enjoyment and passion about books. Parents are proud for their students to take part. Students thoroughly enjoy the experience and appreciate the opportunity even if they don't win.
The enthusiasm generated about books and reading in school before, during and after the quiz is superb and there's a good range of prizes. It's heartening to see so many pupils, parents and staff who are passionate about books and reading. There's a lot of teamwork between the library and the English Department in the selection process and it generates an interest in reading among other pupils too. It also enables the SMT to see how libraries promote literacy.
KLQ gives me the chance to work with pupils I wouldn't normally and inspires me to do more reading-related activities. Students are proud to represent their school - and their parents too.
The beauty of the Kids Lit Quiz is that for other pastimes there are plenty of competitions. For example: chess, football, orchestra and so forth. What the Kids' Lit Quiz does is reward those students who like to read and find real pleasure in reading.
The heats in school are always well attended, and the competition is fierce to be part of the team that goes to the regional heats. The actual competition is really exciting, with the teams battling to win. But, there is also a great atmosphere of camaraderie - we are all taking part because we love books and reading.
Raises library profile. (Ann Cowdrey, Bangor Grammar School)
Best thing: promoting reading and making it fun and competitive. (Eileen Bleakley, Enniskillen Collegiate School)
It has helped highlight the importance of reading and the fun to be had from books and reading... Parents very complimentary. Felt it was a great opportunity for their children and recognised it as a unique way to encourage reading. There is so much for sports etc. but it is harder to find opportunities to help children get together to share love of books...Created a buzz in the library and gave the teachers an opportunity to compliment pupils on their reading. (Liz Cullen, Aquinas Grammar School)
Brilliant. Bringing schools of province together. Real buzz throughout Years 8 & 9. (Jean Matchett, Hunter House, Finaghy)
It gives children a way to get excited about literature in a positive and thought provoking way.
The kids loved the idea of winning and were feverishly borrowing books mentioned in the questions.
Impact: kids talking positively about books...and not hiding the fact they were going to represent the school.
They enjoyed the experience of meeting other students from a different cultural background.
The parents I spoke to said they were delighted for some of their children to be going out of school for something other than sport!
It has raised the profile of the library and will make it easier to find a team for next year. (Martina Devlin, St. Paul's, Bessbrook, Armagh (an all ability High School) new to the KLQ this year
In our school (Cape Cornwall) we choose our teams according to their enthusiasm for reading, and the majority have not been G&T. In fact, this year, we lost our 2 G&Ts to a major event at the National Indoor Arena. This was the 4th year that we have taken part in the KLQ, and it has had an enormous impact on reading in the school. The first teams to take part, who are now in Years 10 and 11, enjoyed it so enormously that they came up with the idea of a mini-version for Years 5 and 6 in the local primaries. This takes place in July, and has now celebrated its third year. It has grown from 9 teams from 5 schools into 23 teams this year, from 12 schools right across the district. (West Penwith.) We have the active support of Mr John Morey, English and Drama Adviser for the County, and of Mr Andy Brumby of the Cornwall Educational Development Service (CEDS). John has been guest marker at both the KLQ and the mini quiz, and Andy was guest marker this year at the KLQ. Both have been very impressed.
The mini version is organised by children in years 7, 8 and 9 during our Activities Week. They set the questions, copy the papers, decorate the hall, invite the guest markers and authors, and cater. We are merely troubleshooters, and actually need minimal involvement. We now have a thriving reading for pleasure group, again started post-KLQ, and we have children from Years 4 to 10 attending. Not all of these are able readers, but they encourage each other (and us) to read more widely; and I have had two children who have never previously read anything more challenging than "Where's Wally?" who read, and hugely enjoyed, "The Lord of the Rings."
I think that the Quiz, and particularly Wayne's approach and personality, ("Cool" and "Mint" are words used), have made reading a popular thing to do, as opposed to a geek thing to do. Certainly with us.
The lasting impression of this event is one of real joy in knowing that so many young people in this techno age still retain not only an avid interest in the written word, but are also highly knowledgeable about it and really do themselves and their respective schools proud.
The Kids' Lit Quiz builds a community of readers in the school. (English teacher)
Can build enthusiasm and can keep what is often lost at 11: the interest in literature which is fostered at junior level (Learning Support teacher)
A valuable incentive for pupils to take an interest in the wider world of reading. A stimulus to eager readers and a good opportunity to encourage more reluctant ones through the qualifying sessions in school. (English teacher)
Very many thanks for another stunning afternoon at the Kid's Lit Quiz. The Yorkshire heat was fantastic, and the children are still buzzing a week later. In particular, one member of our team, who is dyslexic, has struggled with reading and English lessons for the past two years. Recently, with the trial Kid's Lit Quiz questions, and the Kid's Lit Quiz event she has found incredible self-worth and belief in her abilities in reading and writing. Suddenly her interest in comic heroes, television adaptations, myth and legends has been validated and determined to be a source of confidence and pride. This is something class teaching alone can rarely achieve.
We have a Kids' Lit club for a couple of months prior to the quiz and encourage the students to read a wide variety of books and to try some books that they would not usually have chosen. They are very enthusiastic and usually ask if they can do it again next year. It definitely raises the profile of reading in the school. (Carol, South Molton Community College)
Participating in the South West Area Kids Lit Quiz has provided us with opportunities to develop our promotion of reading, particularly with Years 7 & 8.
As this was the first time that we entered a team, we ran an Inter House Lit Quiz for Years 7 & 8 to help select our school team. This proved so popular and successful that it will now be an annual event. The Principal has provided a cup - this was presented to the winning house in front of the whole school at an assembly.
Since the quiz, I have been aware of team members talking informally to their peers about the event. Our thanks go to the organisers who work so hard to promote and run it across our region.
The importance of the KLQ cannot be under-estimated in our school. I have rarely brought G & T kids to the quiz. I have always taken kids that genuinely enjoy reading and it just so happens that quite often these kids do not naturally get involved in many other activities in school. The boost to their self-esteem and confidence of being asked to take part, and actually taking part, is immeasurable. Quite often these kids spend a lot of time in the LRC and it is a refuge for them at lunch and break times so, again, to get picked and get involved is brilliant. The knock on effect to reading is more difficult to measure but it certainly sends a positive message about reading when their achievements and participation are announced in newsletters and in assemblies.
It ties in exceptionally well with our participation in the Reading Champions scheme and the Reading Connects scheme and it will be a perfect link next year as 2008 is the government designated Year of Reading.
Raises the profile of reading in a non-academic way. (English teacher)
I wish it had been around when I was young. (English teacher)
Every student in Year 7 and Year 8 takes part in the preliminary round to find our two teams.
The lure of a National Final and World Final is a definite enticement to want to do well. I encourage our teams with reading suggestions but I've also found that team members' families also get involved and suggest questions; each year I hear about questions over the breakfast and dinner table, and there is an increase in borrowing from the participants.
The KLQ certainly becomes part of our overall reading promotion. All team members get very excited and they like having the certificates. The main long lasting thing is that it gives them a link with the LRC which we all feel is special and can't but help their reading. (Sue Plummer, Librarian, Humphry Davy School)
The beauty of the Kids Lit Quiz is that for other pastimes there are plenty of competitions. For example: chess, football, orchestra and so forth. What the Kids Lit Quiz does is reward those students who like to read and find real pleasure in reading. The heats in school are always well attended, and the competition is fierce to be part of the team that goes to the regional heats. The actual competition is really exciting, with the teams battling to win. But, there is also a great atmosphere of camaraderie � we are all taking part because we love books and reading.
As a result of the KLQ I now run a quiz in the summer term which is well attended � about 12 teams of 2-6 people. I am also running a one off Christmas quiz � all are based on the KLQ structure and time permitting from next autumn I will be running a quiz every month. With our second attempt, which was well publicised in school, it has raised a lot of interest in the current year 7 who are keen to take part next year. The team itself were thrilled with the day, disappointed they didn't do better, read more than they normally do and are now using the library at break and lunch to increase their fiction reading. Their issues have gone up considerably since they knew they were part of the team and it is not flagging now that the quiz is over. I am doing a publicity piece for the newsletter and hope this will get more pupils through the doors.
The quiz has become a real institution at Truro School now - the pupils look forward to the chance to compete in September - and it seems mostly to be children who are quiet and introspective, who are unlikely to reap the rewards available in sport, for example, who find they have the opportunity to shine as Great Readers and achieve public recognition. I hope it continues for many years. It's certainly worthy of sponsorship. (Truro School, 3rd in the UK final)
The enthusiasm, passion even, that those pupils have for books was wonderful to behold. They showed great dedication in the way they turned up each week during lunch breaks in order to prepare for the quiz. When they discovered, during our briefing sessions in the school library, that there were some major authors who they hadn't heard of, they set out to read them - sometimes one book each evening - for WEEKS. They were becoming visibly excited as the quiz grew closer - and the year 7s are VERY happy that they will be eligible to participate again next year. I believe that, for these very bright (in some cases officially 'gifted') children the experience of being in the company of children even brighter and more knowledgeable than themselves has been very valuable. They have been able to realise that loving books is NOT a sign of being a 'boff' or a 'geek' - they are PROUD of their whole involvement in KLQ and in having been chosen to represent their school in a very prestigious international event. (Attleborough High)
Gives the love of reading a competitive edge.
Readers rejoice: the Kids' Lit Quiz makes reading cool.
Pupils were very enthusiastic before, during and afterwards. It encouraged them to read even more than they usually would in preparation for the event. The quiz also allowed shy/quieter pupils to participate without worrying because of the chance to confer. It also set up another forum in school for discussing books. The questions were wide-ranging which encouraged pupils to read other books which they had missed and served to extend their knowledge. It was a fantastic opportunity simply to enjoy books. Plans to 'revise' for next year will also encourage reading in the school generally - there has been a definite "buzz" around those children who took part.