Ghost story is kids’ favourite

A NOVEL telling the story of a boy who makes friends and takes courage from a ghost is this year’s winner of the Concorde Book Award.

The literature prize run by South Gloucestershire schools and public libraries is one of the few in the country that involve children all the way through from choosing the longlist and winner, to making presentations and interviewing authors at the annual award ceremony.

This year’s winner was ‘Ghostcloud’, by Michael Mann, who attended the ceremony at the Bristol and Bath Science Park, Emersons Green, in March.

Michael said: “I’m over the moon to have won the Concorde Book Award 2024.

“These awards mean so much to us authors, it’s so important to know you’ve connected with young readers – that’s what it’s all about for me. Ghostcloud is my first book and I’m on cloud nine!”

It was the first time the awards had been held since 2020, before the start of the covid lockdown.