LONDON, November 19, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The Authors' Licensing & Collecting Society (ALCS) and the Society of Authors today announced the shortlist for the 2010 Educational Writers Award. The 2010 Award focuses on books for 12 -18 year olds published in 2009 & 2010. The shortlist includes four outstanding titles:

- A Really Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson, abridged and edited by Felicia Law (Diverta Ltd) (Doubleday) - Shakespeare on Toast by Ben Crystal (Icon Books) - Do You Think You're Clever? By John Farndon (Icon Books) - A Slice of Pi by Liz Strachan, illustrated by Steven Appleby (Constable)

"This award shines the spotlight on the hugely important area of educational non-fiction publishing," says Paula Johnson of the Society of Authors. "The four titles shortlisted are fine examples of the very real creativity to be found amongst those who write to inspire young learners aged 12 - 18 years."

ALCS and the Society of Authors created this award in 2008 to 'celebrate educational writing that inspires creativity and encourages students to read widely and build up their understanding of a subject beyond the requirements of exam specifications'. It is the only UK Award that focuses on educational non-fiction. It is made annually for an outstanding example of traditionally published single volume work, with or without illustration, for the specified age group. The age group alternates each year; this year's focus is on works for 12 - 18 year olds and in 2011 the focus returns to works for 5-11 year olds.

"This is the third year of the Educational Writers Award and we are delighted to be continuing our support," says ALCS deputy CEO, Barbara Hayes. "We hope that by highlighting the importance of quality in educational non-fiction we will inspire creative choices by both publishers as well as writers in this field. At ALCS our membership consists of writers from every genre however educational writers remain the largest sector of that community."

The winner of the 2010 award will be announced on 7th December at the All Party Writers Group (APWG) Christmas Reception at the House of Commons when Lord Hill, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools, will present a cheque for GBP2,000 to the winner.

The 2010 judging panel includes three educational experts: school librarian Maggie Campbell, teacher Louise Gerrard and writer Stewart Ross.

Detailed information on the four books on this year's shortlist can be found on the attached sheet.

The forthcoming deadline for submission for the 2011 award for the 5 - 11 year age group is 1st June 2011. For further details please see http://www.societyofauthors.org

Editors Notes

About the Judges

Maggie Campbell lives in Woodford Green and is the librarian at Oaklands Secondary School in Tower Hamlets, where she has introduced book weeks with visiting authors and a reading group (the Carnegie Club) shadowing book prizes. Previously she has been school librarian at Seven Kings High School, has had a variety of jobs in reference & local history libraries as well as some mobile library adventures in a very unreliable old vehicle and was the manager of a branch library in Hainault (North East London).

Louise Gerrard lives in East Sheen and has spent most of her career teaching in comprehensive schools - both mixed and single sex. She currently teaches English three days a week at Gumley School, Isleworth, a girls' catholic comprehensive school for 11-18 year olds. She was previously Head of English and a Professional Tutor at Hampton Community College, a mixed comprehensive for 11 - 16 year olds.

Steward Ross taught in a wide range of institutions in Britain, USA, Middle East & Sri Lanka before becoming a full-time writer 20 years ago. With over 230 published titles to his credit, Stewart has written prize winning books for children, both fiction and non-fiction, two adult novels, several plays, librettos and a musical as well as books on history and sport. A frequent lecturer and presenter of workshops in schools and colleges, he is also an occasional journalist and broadcaster. He lives in Kent with his family.

Society of Authors

The Society of Authors has been serving the interests of professional writers for more than a century. Today it has more than 8,900 members (from novelists to doctors, textbook writers to ghost writers, broadcasters to academics, illustrators to translators) writing in all areas of the profession. Services include the confidential, individual vetting of contracts, and help with professional disputes. In addition, the Society holds meetings and seminars, publishes a quarterly journal, The Author, and maintains a database of members' specializations. It administers a wide range of prizes, as well as the Authors' Foundation, which is one of the very few bodies making grants to help with work in progress for established writers. For further information contact info@societyofauthors.org

2011 Educational Writers Award - please see http://www.societyofauthors.org for further information.

To be eligible the work must be single volume, non-fiction (with or without illustration) of genuine merit for the specified age group. It must have been first published in the UK in the English Language within the two previous calendar years.

ALCS

ALCS collects fees on behalf of the whole spectrum of UK writers: novelists, film & TV script writers, literary prize winners, poets and playwrights, freelance journalists, translators and adaptors, as well as thousands of professional and academic writers who include nurses, lawyers, teachers, scientists, and college lecturers. All writers are eligible to join ALCS: further details on membership can be found at http://www.alcs.co.uk

The Society collects fees that are difficult, time-consuming or legally impossible for writers and their representatives to claim on an individual basis: money that is nonetheless due to them. Fees collected are distributed to writers twice a year in March and September. Since its inception, ALCS has distributed over GBP240 million to the nation's writers.

The All Party Parliamentary Writers Group (APWG)

APWG is a forum for elected Parliamentarians in Westminster to consider and discuss matters of importance to writers. As a focal point for authors' interests, with its links to UK writer organisations, APWG is well placed to draw attention to the current issues facing writers amongst an audience of decision-makers at Westminster and beyond. The current Chairman is John Whittingdale MP.

Contact information: ALCS, The Writers' House, 13 Haydon Street, London EC3N 1DB Tel: +44(0)20-7264-5700; email alcs@alcs.co.uk. Website: http://www.alcs.co.uk

SOURCE: Authors' Licensing SOURCE: &SOURCE: Collecting Society (ALCS)

CONTACT: Media Contact: for further information, author/illustratorinterviews &copies of the shortlisted books please contact: Becca Wyatt:+44(0)1798-867-117; +44(0)7801-061-420; ALCS, Alison Baxter:+44(0)20-7264-5700; Society of Authors, Paula Johnson: +44(0)20-7373-6642pjohnson@societyofauthors.org