VIDEO AND PHOTOS: Doncaster Book Awards - 900 pupils attend

Drawing a huge crowd was a famous cartoonist at the Doncaster Book Awards today.
Children's author Pamela Butchart with Owston Park Primary pupils Jacob McLem, 11, and Calla Cox, 9.Children's author Pamela Butchart with Owston Park Primary pupils Jacob McLem, 11, and Calla Cox, 9.
Children's author Pamela Butchart with Owston Park Primary pupils Jacob McLem, 11, and Calla Cox, 9.

Kev F Sutherland, famous for his work in The Beano comic and Dr Who magazine, was amongst the guests at the annual event, which took place at The Dome.

Also in the good books with the 900-plus school children who attended was award-winning author Pamela Butchart, writer of ‘The Spy Who Loved School Dinners’, and Linda Jones, author of A Fistful of Feathers - who were on hand to talk about their work and to sign autographs.

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Linda said of the event: “It’s vital. It encourages children to look at all types of genres, encouraging them to write and improves their interest. It also lets me talk to them face to face and they get to hold a book rather then just doing it online.”

Children's author Pamela Butchart with Owston Park Primary pupils Jacob McLem, 11, and Calla Cox, 9.Children's author Pamela Butchart with Owston Park Primary pupils Jacob McLem, 11, and Calla Cox, 9.
Children's author Pamela Butchart with Owston Park Primary pupils Jacob McLem, 11, and Calla Cox, 9.

Owston Park Primary pupil Calla Cox, aged 9, enjoys reading mystery books, she said: “I think it’s really good fun, and you get lots of opportunities to do things. I don’t know why people think reading is boring.”

There were three award categories up for grabs, with pupils from schools across Doncaster voting for their favourite. The overall winners were: Primary - Tom Gates: Everything’s Amazing (Sort Of) by Liz Pichon; Secondary - Sweet Honey by Cathy Cassidy; Classic - The Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo. Other attractions were static bike races; music by Roma Khamoro and Samba dancing.