Young readers across Consilium Academies crown Anthony McGowan's The Beck Book of the Year

Consilium Academies is a multi-academy trust of schools across the North of England, including Ellesmere Park High School and Moorside High School committed to providing an excellent education and creating opportunities for every student to thrive. Its annual Consilium Book Awards are a cross-trust literacy initiative designed to inspire a love of reading, encourage critical thinking and give young people the opportunity to engage with the very best in contemporary children's and young adult fiction.

Led by Director of English and Literacy Laura Chivers, the awards place students at the heart of the judging process. This year, more than 100 students from across the Trust joined Consilium Awards reading groups, reading and discussing a carefully selected shortlist before voting for an overall winner.

The shortlist was selected by Consilium Academies' school librarians and literacy leads from more than 30 titles submitted by publishers across the UK. It featured an outstanding range of contemporary voices:

• Where the Heart Should Be – Sarah Crossan
• Stealing Happy – Brian Conaghan
• Livia in Rome – Bruna De Luca
• How to Survive a Horror Movie – Scarlett Dunmore
• This Feast of a Life – Cynthia So
• Flash of Neon – Sophie Cameron
• The Beck – Anthony McGowan
• The Deadsoul Project – Dan Smith

After months of thoughtful reading, lively discussion and critical evaluation, students selected The Beck as this year's winner.

Laura Chivers, Director of English and Literacy at Consilium Academies, said: The Consilium Book Awards continue to grow each year, creating a community of enthusiastic readers across the Trust and demonstrating the power of books to spark conversation, broaden horizons and foster a lifelong love of learning.