Former Fortismere pupil shortlisted for children’s book award

Now Haringey schoolchildren are voting on whether The Bird Singers (Hachette) wins Alexandra Palace Children’s Book Award ‘Bibliobuzz’.

Wersocki Morris’ mystery adventure has been shortlisted by Haringey librarians alongside five others. Local children are challenged to read all six books and vote for a winner to be announced at Ally Pally on March 24.

Wersocki Morris, who grew up in Muswell Hill and now lives in Finsbury Park, said: “When I heard I had my book deal, I took myself for a long walk around Ally Pally and remember thinking ‘this is it, it’s really happening’. I used to spend my teenage years walking around the lake thinking about stories – and doing revision next to The Grove café. Now it feels I have come full circle going back to the award ceremony in Ally Pally theatre to talk about my own book.”

The Bird Singers by Eve Wersocki Morris is published by Hachette (Image: Courtesy of Hachette)

Run by the Palace’s creative learning team, the prize includes workshops, Q&As, performances and literary challenges aimed at inspiring a love of reading and writing in 9-12-year-olds. Also shortlisted are The Consequence Girl by Alastair Chisholm, The Elemental Detectives by Patrice Lawrence, Twitch by M. G. Leonard, S.T.E.A.L.T.H Access Denied by Jason Rohan, and Tyger by local author SF Said.

“It’s such a great initiative to get kids reading,” says Wersocki Morris, who spent her time at Fortismere writing stories and even penned a poem for the school library which is still there today.Author and publishing PR Eve Wersocki Morris attended Coldfall Primary and Fortismere Secondary School (Image: Yellowbelly)

“Haringey Librarians read more than 200 books to make the shortlist, I am just over the moon to be on it.”

The Bird Singers is inspired by her Polish heritage and holidays in the Lake District.

“It’s about two sisters who discover a mythical monster and is inspired by my quite annoying younger sister, and how even if you don’t always get on with a sibling, faced with a terrifying monster, you will do anything to defend them.”

Her second, The Wildstone Curse came out last month and is a “spooky mystery” with a dyslexic heroine.Eve goes back to her old school library to talk to pupils (Image: Courtesy of Fortismere School)

“I wanted to create a hero who was dyslexic but also a storyteller. When I was diagnosed aged 12 the first thing I thought was ‘oh no I won’t be able to write stories’. I love going into schools to talk about my journey to being an author. Dyslexia could have been a hurdle but it wasn’t.”

Find out more about Bibliobuzz and the shortlisted books at https://www.alexandrapalace.com/biblio-buzz-2023/