The world renowned author Morris Gleitzman travelled 12,000 miles from his home in Melbourne,Australia and found time whilst on holiday here to accept the first ever Essex Book Award. Secondary school children from all over Essex chose his book  Once  as their favourite, from a shortlist of 8 titles. Morris delighted his 100 strong audience by describing how his career developed after having his first short story accepted for publication at the age of 17,  soon after moving with his family to Australia from Lincolnshire. Morris explained that it was the survival of his grandfather who was a Polish Jew who came to the U.K. before the War which propelled him towards developing the theme and writing ‘Once’. In the story Felix and Zelda are Jewish children searching for their parents ahead of the Nazi menace. A lively question and answer session ensued ,after which Morris posed for photographs and signed as many books as his enthusiastic audience demanded.

Submitted by Nickie Carpenter