MEET THE Winners of OXFORD BIG READ GLOBAL 2024
This year, students participating in the Oxford Big Read were invited to select books of their choice from a list of OUP readers. The students’ readi ng selections covered a diverse range of both classic and contemporary themes. Winning submissions were distinguished by thoughtful design, well-crafted essays, and strong critical analysis.
Offices of Oxford University Press across various regions, including Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Argentina, Peru, Mexico, India, and Pakistan, received thousands of submissions from participating schools. These winners advanced to become semi-finalists in the regional Oxford Big Read Global campaign. We are proud to introduce the winners of our sixth edition of the campaign.
CATEGORIES FOR PARTICIPATION
CATEGORY 1: DESIGN A NEW BOOK JACKET
* For those aged 5 years old to 8 years old at the time of entry
All participants read an OUP book and then designed a new cover.
CATEGORY 2: TELL US WHAT YOU FOUND INTERESTING ABOUT THE BOOK OR WHAT YOU WOULD CHANGE
* For those aged 9 years old to 12 years old at the time of entry
All participants read an OUP book and wrote a response describing what they found interesting or what they would change about the book.
CATEGORY 3: WRITE A CRITICAL REVIEW OF AN OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS BOOK
* For those aged 13 years old to 15 years old at the time of entry
All participants read an OUP book and wrote a critical review describing the theme, plot, and characters.
Awards and Prizes
Three Winners will each receive:
- an Apple iPad
- an Official Award Certificate
Three Runners-up will each receive:
- an exciting gift (equivalent to £100.00 GBP)
- an Official Award Certificate
the GLOBAL winners of 2024
Congratulations to all our champion artists and scholars!
Category 1
Design a New Book Jacket.
Winner
Ages 5-8
Name: Lara Rusticcini
Entry: The Big Storm by Paul Shipton
Country: Argentina
I love the way your cover communicates a strong sense of story and action, real enthusiasm in tone and a warm engagement with text and reader. Your blurb on the back cleverly makes the reader curious to know more and read the whole book. The cover design is excellent, with a beautifully integrated presentation of cover, flaps, spine and other elements like the use of colour and the sequinned lightning!
Runner-up
Ages 5-8
Name: Pavin S
Entry: The Tempest by William Shakesphere
Country: India
Your cover is wonderful, with a beautiful design and confident control of a dense, dynamic and warmly varied colour palette. The illustration shows a strong sense of narrative, character and ideas in your review and through the clever use of speech on the cover. You really cast a spell that will make people want to read the book and see the play!
Category 2
WHAT YOU FOUND INTERESTING ABOUT THE BOOK OR WHAT YOU WOULD CHANGE.
Winner
Ages 9-12
Name:
Anwesha Dutta
Entry: Remembering Amma by Vaishali Shroff
Country: India
A very complete review, very in-depth. The reviewer has spent a lot of time on this. Good descriptions of the characters and of what could be changed in the story. Fabulous engagement and comprehensive personal assessment. Lively and lovely!
Runner-up
Ages 9-12
Name: Anabia Imtanan
Entry: Little Women by Louisa M. Alcott
Country: Pakistan
I found this entry delightful. The entrant’s own personality shines through in both what she has said and her writing style, she has made some clever observations, and I smiled at her wish that Jo, the iconic tomboy, should have been portrayed as more feminine and elegant. This writer has a great vocabulary for her age, there are only a few grammatical errors, and she has a clear writing voice.
Category 3
WRITE A CRITICAL REVIEw.
Winner
Ages 13-15
Name: Droshum Ali
Entry: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Country: Pakistan
At the start, you set the scene very well, describing the time and place of the story, and introducing the main characters and their actions. (But watch out: 1811 was in the 19th century!) You then explain the issues about women’s lives that Jane Austen wanted to raise in this book, showing your understanding of them. By the end, it’s clear that you appreciated the book, and so your recommendation of it is convincing. Good work.
Runner-up
Ages 13-15
Name: Gabriela Orozco Serrano
Entry: Sara Dixon, Teen Detective by Lesley Thompson
Country: Colombia
Your fun illustrations made this an inviting review to read. Your enjoyment of the plot is made clear, and I like the comparisons you make with the older Nancy Drew novel as well as the relevance of this book to today’s teenagers. But also, I was left wondering about the storyline. What mystery was being solved, and what sort of secrets emerged? Some extra details here could convince more readers to try the book!