Black History Month Convince the Critics competition 2022 - winners announced!

We are delighted to announce the winners of our Black History Month ‘Convince the Critics', whose entries appear below.  All of the books championed so compellingly by our winners, are available to borrow from the EPHS Libraries.  

A big congratulations to our winners Millie, Jemmimah and Chloe who will receive a signed copy of Jeffrey Boakye's Musical Truth: A Musical History of Modern Black Britain in 28 Songs.  Thank you to everyone that entered - you will all receive achievement points!  

Why you should read Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison - by Jemmimah A-G (Year 8)

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison is a book all about inspirational black women in history.  They range from scientists to frontline nurses and even spies.  The reason why this book is so important is because the achievements of many amazing women of colour have been lost through the years with history choosing to ignore them just because of the colour of their skin.  I just find it so brilliant that the author has taken her time to research and write about all these women and make it easier for young girls to find out about how many things our ancestors have accomplished and how much they can accomplish too.

On top of this, it is really important to support black authors like herself, as it is said that only 0.025% of authors are successful (meaning they sell over 1000 books) and in the United States only 6% of writers being Black/African American. So, by reading this book you aren’t only enlightening yourself but making a change and paving the way for other people of colour who wish to pursue their dreams.  It starts with you! 

Why you should read Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo - by Millie S (Year 10)

I am writing to convince you to read Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo.  Clap When You Land is a beautiful book that is compelling and immersive.  It drags you into the story and pulls you along with it and explores deep themes such as grief and forgiveness.  The book is about two is sisters with a twisted backstory, and this story line will keep you reading until the end.  There is no limit to the emotions that you may feel when exploring this rollercoaster of a book, and so I recommend this to you, in the hope that you will also be able to experience how amazing this book is and learn a few life lessons along the way (who would want to miss out on those!?). 

Why you should read You Are A Champion: How to be the Best You Can Be by Marcus Rashford - by Chloe O (Year 9)

I strongly recommend You Are A Champion by Marcus Rashford.  It is a positive and inspiring guide on how you can improve your mindset.  Although Marcus Rashford talks about football, a lot of his views can be carried into real life experiences, so even if football isn’t something you love, I would still encourage you to read this.  It provides lots of essential advice, which I personally believe every child/teen should know.  It has taught me that I should only compete with myself.  This is so important as it encourages me to feel more confident in myself, as I am not constantly comparing myself with others.  This advice provided from Marcus’s book is something that has stuck with me.  I am sure that you would take away many ways to positively improve your mindset if you read this book.