Opine Books
Festival director and co-founder John McLay said: "Having worked with hundreds of children across the south west over the years, we know that Bath is a city with one of the highest ranges of socio-economic indicators.
The current list includes The Song of Achilles and Circe by Madeline Miller, The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, Sail Away by Celia Imrie, The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton and Piranesi by Susanna Clarke.
NCL also hosts poetry performances from collectives, local history research workshops and a monthly cabaret evening which regularly sees 250 people attend.
Alongside professor John Hutchinson, who is chair, the judges included Booker Prize-winning author and screenwriter Eleanor Catton, New Scientist comment and culture editor Alison Flood, teacher, broadcaster and writer Bobby Seagull and Royal Society University research fellow, Dr Jess Wade, also an Imperial College London lecturer.
“By giving books a second life, we are not only reducing waste but also fostering a community of readers who value sustainability and support independent bookshops,” commented Eric Gagnaire, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Zeercle.