The Portico Sadie Massey Awards for Young Readers and Writers

10/06/2026

The excitement is building!

10/06/2026

We're all set for the Presentation Event tomorrow!

Gift bags packed, certificates formatted, anthologies of the short stories and book reviews looking fabulous and original artwork from the two artists packaged to give out.

We love this event and are very excited to welcome the winners of this year's short story and book review competitions to the Portico Library and celebrate under the spectacular dome!

The Portico Library Manchester Libraries MCRCityofLit Susan Brownrigg author Oli Sykes

10/06/2026

And we have these wonderful shortened videos from A M Dassu as well!
Please feel free to share in the classroom and more widely!

Manchester Libraries MCRCityofLit Book Clubs in Schools Wilmslow High School National Literacy Trust in Salford

01/06/2026

'Why reading is good for us' with A M Dassu

In this video on the Portico Library's youtube channel, children’s author A M Dassu shares why she loves reading and why you can too!
From books where we see ourselves, to having empathy for others, to writing down our reactions.

And finally, why sharing your thoughts by entering competitions like the Portico Sadie Massey Awards annual Book Review Competition spreads a love of reading like ripples in a pond!

A. M. DASSU is a former World Book Day author and internationally acclaimed author of 15 children’s books, including Boy, Everywhere, Fight Back and Kicked Out, which have collectively been listed for over 55 awards, including the Carnegie Medal, Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and Week Junior Book Award.

Find out more about the PSMAwards’ competitions here: https://www.theportico.org.uk/portico-sadie-massey-awards (Open to 7 - 18 year-olds)


The Portico Library Manchester Libraries Manchester Histories Manchester Evening News MCRCityofLit Waterstones Lancashire Telegraph Lancashire Post The Reading Agency

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LH0ijokBow&list=PLbYJvgMgzmDm3VezRoJlNlqKsCIWenMhA

In this video, children’s author A M Dassu shares why she loves reading and why you can too!From books where we see ourselves, to having empathy for others, ...

28/05/2026

'Why reading is good for us' with A M Dassu

In this video on the Portico Library's youtube channel, children’s author A M Dassu shares why she loves reading and why you can too!
From books where we see ourselves, to having empathy for others, to writing down our reactions.
And finally, why sharing your thoughts by entering competitions like the Portico Sadie Massey Awards annual Book Review Competition spreads a love of reading like ripples in a pond!

A. M. DASSU is a former World Book Day author and internationally acclaimed author of 15 children’s books, including Boy, Everywhere, Fight Back and Kicked Out, which have collectively been listed for over 55 awards, including the Carnegie Medal, Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and Week Junior Book Award.

Find out more about the PSMAwards’ competitions here: https://www.theportico.org.uk/portico-sadie-massey-awards (Open to 7 - 18 year-olds)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_8IKq1NiA4

The Portico Library Manchester Libraries Manchester Histories Manchester Evening News MCRCityofLit Waterstones Lancashire Post The Reading Agency

A M Dassu - Portico Sadie Massey Awards Special Guest - 2021https://amdassu.com/https://www.theportico.org.uk/portico-sadie-massey-awards ...

22/05/2026

Portico Sadie Massey Awards Project Coordinator Ruth Estevez is donating two books by authors she has admired since childhood to this year's competition winners.

Sisters Charlotte and Emily Bronte grew up in the West Yorkshire village of Haworth and wrote these two iconic novels.
We hope the winner who receives them at the presentation event next month finds them as life changing as Ruth did!

And if you want to review them or any of the other books on the website, email your review to [email protected] You can include a photograph if you'd like!

Happy reading everyone!

https://www.theportico.org.uk/portico-sadie-massey-awards

The Portico Library Manchester Libraries Manchester Histories MCRCityofLit

21/05/2026

Author Jennifer Burkinshaw has kindly donated two copies of her topical thriller, set in Morecambe Bay, Happiness Seeker and one copy of snowy romance with a female who loves capentry at its heart - Igloo.
Both are young adult titles that are enjoyed by readers of all ages.

Three lucky Portico Sadie Massey Awards winners will be receiving these in their gift bags at the presentation event next month!

And hopefully, they will review them for our website so that other readers will hear about them. Spreading the love!

can send your reviews to [email protected]

A photo of you with the book is always a plus too, or just the book!

Thank you Jennifer!

https://www.theportico.org.uk/portico-sadie-massey-awards

The Portico Library MCRCityofLit Manchester Libraries Manchester Histories topical

21/05/2026

Massive thanks to Fox & Ink Books!

All our prizewinners receive books from writers or publishers associated with the Portico Sadie Massey Awards or with a connection to the North of England. For the second year, Preston-based independent book publisher, Fox & Ink Books, formerly UCLan Publishing, have donated books by two of this year’s judges, Curtis Jobling and Susan Brownrigg.

We hope the lucky winners of these books will review them for our webiste and share the love!

Thank you!

https://www.theportico.org.uk/portico-sadie-massey-awards

Susan Brownrigg author Susan Brownrigg The Portico Library Manchester Libraries Manchester Evening News Manchester Histories MCRCityofLit

19/05/2026

Notebooks and bookmarks 2026!

Gifts of specially designed PSMAwards’ notebooks and bookmarks have now been sent to all those who entered the short story and book review competitions and who are based in the UK!

Thank you for sending us your imaginative, heart felt stories and reviews. It is a feat in itself to enter a competition. Well done to everyone!

We are sorry we cannot post these further afield, but you may download a certificate from the resources page and we hope you will enter the 2027 competitions when they open in October 2026.

https://www.theportico.org.uk/resources

This year we received entries from as far afield as China and Malaysia.

Thank you everyone for your support. We couldn’t do it without you!

(The front cover image is of The Portico Library with details featured in books from the mainly 19th century collection)

https://www.theportico.org.uk/portico-sadie-massey-awards

The Portico Library MCRCityofLit Manchester Libraries Manchester Histories First Story Book Clubs in Schools

01/05/2026

And the results are in!

Congratulations to everyone who took part in the Portico Sadie Massey Awards 2026 as it is a huge feat to write a story or review a book and then enter it into a competition.

Everyone who entered in the UK will receive a newly designed PSMA notebook and bookmark to record your thoughts and ideas and hold the page in the book you're reading.

Well done to everyone and the teachers, librarians and people who have given support.

You can see the full list here:
https://www.theportico.org.uk/portico-sadie-massey-awards-news

Read the winning and highly commended short story and book reviews here:
https://www.theportico.org.uk/past-winners

Photograph by Lucy Cartwright

CONGRATULATIONS!

The Portico Library MCRCityofLit Manchester Libraries Manchester Histories Manchester Evening News