Year 7 Book Review Competition 2026 – Winners
The library was delighted to host the Year 7 Book Review Competition 2026, a wonderful celebration of reading, creativity, and thoughtful reflection.
The Year 7 Book Review Competition is designed to encourage students to explore new texts, express their opinions, and develop confidence in their writing. The competition saw an impressive number of high-quality entries from students across all English sets, making the judging process both exciting and challenging.
The competition was judged by Librarian Mrs Edwards alongside the English Department, who were thoroughly impressed by the depth of understanding and enthusiasm for reading demonstrated by our Year 7 students.
All participants received a certificate to celebrate their achievements, recognising the time, effort, and passion they brought to their reviews.
Gold, Siliver and Bronze – and one overall winner
Each English set recognised three outstanding reviewers, who were awarded Bronze, Silver, or Gold Awards in acknowledgement of their engaging, insightful, and well-structured reviews.
Students awarded a Gold Award earned a special privilege – the opportunity to choose new books for the library. This ensures our collection continues to reflect the tastes and interests of our student community.
From among the Gold Award winners, one overall winner was selected by Principal Mr Brett. This student’s review stood out for its exceptional insight, originality, and clarity of expression.
The overall winner was presented with a £20 book token, generously donated by a Year 11 parent as a heartfelt thank you to the school community.
"The reviews were thoughtful, perceptive, and clearly reflected genuine enjoyment." Mr Brett, Principal
Our winners
Congratulations to all our winners and participants – your passion for reading is helping to build a vibrant and thriving library community!
- Overall Winner: Francesco
- Gold Award: Francesco, Martin, Paolo, Kevin, Valentin, Ilyas, Arian
- Silver Award: Tzuriel, Ayomide, Benjamin, Frankie, Rashed, Amari, Aren
- Bronze Award: Harry, Alex D, Ian, Alex W, Dimitri, Tyler, Javel
Overall winning review
Saint Death, by Marcus Sedgwick, reviewed by Francesco, Year 7
We are proud to share the overall winning review, which stood out for its vivid imagery, emotional depth, and perceptive understanding of character and theme.
Saint Death by Marcus Sedgwick is a book that feels like a ticking clock. The element of danger excites me. It feels like there is no escape and that the clock just keeps on going. You feel a strange kind of pressure, I think you can call it, and it stays throughout the whole story. It ups the stakes for the main character, Arturo.
Another thing I like about Arturo is something that we have been learning in English recently – his character development. I love the fact that Arturo isn’t some kind of superhero or world-saving beast. He’s just a normal child who is living in a dangerous part of Mexico where your life depends on luck, not just the choices you make.
Arturo is not a powerful or fearless monster. He isn’t a superhero. He is real and so is the world he lives in. He tries to protect his family, whilst fear and other people’s violence follow him like a dark cloud.
The idea of Saint Death – a sinister guardian – makes everything heavier, like death is always lurking, watching and waiting. Every decision feels like it could explode at any moment.
What makes this book so gripping is the constant tension that never leaves your side. You can almost hear the ticking of time in the background, steady and unkind like a raging storm. Your own skin crawls with fear and panic as the tension builds, clenching your breath like a hand to the throat.
The ending doesn’t bring the comfort you’re almost begging for. Instead, it feels heavy, quiet and unforgettable, like silence after an explosion you were standing too close to. It left me thinking about Arturo long after the final page.
Francesco, Year 7
Why this review stood out
This review impressed judges for several reasons:
- Powerful imagery and language: Francesco uses striking comparisons – such as the “ticking clock” and “silence after an explosion” – to vividly convey the story’s tension.
- Insightful understanding of character: The discussion of Arturo shows recognition of character development, linking directly to learning in English lessons.
- Engagement with themes: Francesco recognises that the story touches on important ideas, such as danger, fate, and mortality.
- Strong personal response: Francesco has shared a genuine emotional reaction, which judges felt would inspire others to read the story too.
Words from our staff
Principal Mr Brett praised the standard of entries, saying: “The quality of writing in this year’s competition has been high. The reviews were thoughtful, perceptive, and clearly reflected genuine enjoyment. Choosing just one overall winner was no easy task.”
Librarian Mrs Edwards added: “It has been incredibly inspiring to read so many insightful and enthusiastic reviews. Our Year 7 students have demonstrated their developing literacy skills and a love for stories which warms my heart. Who says boys don’t like reading? At HBAED, plenty of boys do!”
"Our Year 7 students have demonstrated their developing literacy skills and a love for stories which warms my heart." Mrs Edwards, Librarian
Would you like to donate next year’s prize?
We would like to make the Year 7 Book Review Competition an annual event, showcasing the talent, insight, and creativity of our students. Please email our librarian s.edwards@harrisdulwichboys.org.uk if you can support us with prizes.