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Stephen Dilley

@stephenjdilley.bsky.social

360 followers 350 following 290 posts

English teacher & HoD, bookworm, UKLA Book Awards team, Just Imagine reviewer, primary school governor and very amateur musician. All views my own.

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Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · Jan 3

2025 books read:
1. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Varghese
This month's Church Times Book Club pick - an epic family saga set in Kerala over eight decades. Intricately plotted and full of fascinating historical and medical detail.

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Reposted by Stephen Dilley

UKLA @uklitassociation.bsky.social · 1d

Applications for NEU Sponsored Teacher Places at the 2026 UKLA International Conference are now open! Are you a member of UKLA and NEU? You could win a Sponsored Place at our 2026 Conference at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow! Visit our website to find out more and apply now!
buff.ly/kwmpVKj

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Reposted by Stephen Dilley

UKLA @uklitassociation.bsky.social · 2d

October's #lucky13th is Roar - an empowering novel-in-verse of resistance and finding your voice, inspired by Sampat Pal and the Pink Sari Gang, from the multi-award-winning author of Run, Rebel and The Crossing, Manjeet Mann. #uklamembers RT to win a copy!

#ThisIsHowIRoar

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Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 2d

196. Phoenix Brothers by Sita Brahmachari
A powerful and accessible YA novel for KS3 upwards about the experiences of child refugees coming to the UK, written with fierce emotional engagement and truth.

Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 2d

195. Going Home by Tom Lamont
Re-read for our book club tomorrow. One of my favourite novels of the last few years - perfectly realised characters and relationships, and a deeply affecting but emotionally honest story.

Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 4d

Birdie would have been one of my picks - but here are some other favourites!

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Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 7d

194. The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell
The second instalment in the Impossible Creatures trilogy is just as full of wonder, wit and wisdom as all her previous books - a magnificent read!
Read my review for @justimaginecentre.bsky.social here: justimagine.co.uk/childrens-bo...

Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 10d

193. Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield
Beautifully written coming-of-age novel set in Jamaica for older teenagers, powerfully examining sexuality and differences in language and culture.

Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 11d

192. All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, illustrated by Akhran Girmay
Powerful co-authored novel which builds empathy and understanding by exploring racial prejudice and police brutality in America from two perspectives.

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Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 12d

The Climbers by Keith Gray is one of the most perfectly plotted stories I have ever read - and I've also loved Barrington Stoke titles by Katya Balen and Anthony McGowan.
Read Between the Lies by Malcolm Duffy offers a brilliant exploration of dyslexia.

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Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 13d

Today is #NationalPoetryDay but also exactly one year since my lovely mum Dr Sally Dilley died, so here are two of my favourite poems about mothers, shared with great love and gratitude.

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Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 13d

191. Best of All Worlds by Kenneth Oppel
One of my favourite YA reads of 2025 - this audaciously brilliant dystopian novel tells a deeply compelling and unsettling story which explores major political issues.
Read my review for @justimaginecentre.bsky.social here:
justimagine.co.uk/childrens-bo...

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Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 17d

190. A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews
A wonderfully idiosyncratic coming-of-age novel set in a Mennonite community with a highly distinctive narrative voice.

Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 18d

Lots of my favourites have already been mentioned but here are a few that I have loved!

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Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 21d

Lovely to be at the announcement ceremony and thrilled to have three in common with the judges from this exceptional longlist - well done to all the shortlisted authors and special hurrahs for Flashlight, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, and The Land in Winter!

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Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 21d

Announcement due very soon…

Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 21d

Very excited to be en route to the @southbankcentre.bsky.social for the live Booker Prize shortlist announcement! My top 6 were:
Endling
Flashlight
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny
Seascraper
Love Forms
The Land in Winter

But lots of other strong contenders too!

The Booker Prizes @thebookerprizes.com · 21d

📣 It's Booker Prize 2025 shortlist day!!!

A reminder to join our livestream from 7:30pm BST / 2:30pm EDT / 12am IST using this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6VO...

The Booker Prize 2025 Shortlist Announcement: Live Stream

YouTube video by Southbank Centre

www.youtube.com

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Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 22d

Have read Helm too and liked that as well. Endling and Flashlight are my top two from the longlist - looking forward to the shortlist announcement tomorrow!

Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 22d

The Benefactors in particular is superb!

Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 22d

189. Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley
A gripping and hard-hitting thriller exposing the mistreatment of Native American children in foster care who have been taken away from their communities.
Read my review for @justimaginecentre.bsky.social here: justimagine.co.uk/childrens-bo...

Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 22d

188. Under the London Sky by Anna Woltz, translated by @michehut.bsky.social
Another powerful story for KS3 readers weaving together untold stories from the Blitz.
Read my review for @justimaginecentre.bsky.social here: justimagine.co.uk/childrens-bo...
@rocktheboatnews.bsky.social

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Reposted by Stephen Dilley

English and Media Centre @engmediacentre.bsky.social · 22d

So much fun researching a course. These for Bringing the Fiction Effect into Classrooms on 6/11 with me & @stephenjdilley.bsky.social . Cogsci suggests exploratory approaches best for English if we want learning to exploit how literature acts on the mind www.englishandmedia.co.uk/courses/e84d...

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Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 28d

Huge congratulations to @louis-p-hill.bsky.social @clarakiyoko.bsky.social @louisareid.bsky.social @bconaghanauthor.bsky.social @whusseyauthor.bsky.social @philipreeve.bsky.social and all our amazing longlisted authors!

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Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · 28d

So incredibly proud of these incredible longlists (particularly the 11-14+ list which once again formed the bulk of the last few months' reading) and looking forward to working with our amazing teacher judges in Glasgow as they read and share these books with their classes!

UKLA @uklitassociation.bsky.social · 29d

Your 2026 UKLA Book Awards Longlists are here - the only national children’s book awards judged by teachers!

This year they feature books in translation, past winners, exciting debuts and a huge range of genres and themes.

Click here to see the full Longlists: ukla.org/ukla-book-aw...

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Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · Sep 14

187. Role Model by Elle McNicoll
Another great middle-grade read about the toxic side of being held up as an 'inspirational' autistic role model - engaging and thought-provoking.
Read my review for @justimaginecentre.bsky.social here: justimagine.co.uk/childrens-bo...

Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social · Sep 13

I haven’t read them all (just the school ones plus Ready Made Family) but came to them thanks to Lucy Mangan’s description of them in Bookworm. Have really enjoyed them and will revisit!