Faber and the National Literacy Trust launch Lord of the Flies competition for students

Faber and the National Literacy Trust have partnered to launch a competition for schools to celebrate 70 years of Lord of the Flies, as well as the book’s publication as a graphic novel.

Pupils across the UK are asked to create a diary entry from the island, imagining themselves “in the shoes of one of the boys or as if they have landed there with them”. They can send in written submissions using the traditional diary entry method, as well as comic strips or graphic novels. Students can also record entries using voice, music and other sounds or submit videos of themselves as if streaming live from the island.

The competition is open to 12-to-16-year-olds and closes on 1st November. 

The winner will get copies of the Lord of the Flies graphic novel for themselves and their class, as well as signed prints by Aimée de Jongh from the graphic novel. They will also win a book token worth £50 and a selection of 20 YA Faber books for the school library.

Jason Vit, head of local areas at the National Literacy Trust, said: “Aimée de Jongh’s graphic novel adaptation of Lord of the Flies is a brilliant example of an underused genre that has so much power to inspire young people and engage them with literacy. We’re delighted to be working with Faber to offer this competition for young people from schools and communities across the UK, asking them to put themselves at the heart of this iconic story in a way that matters to them – through a written, illustrated, audio or video diary entry. 

“Our research shows that young people’s enjoyment of reading and writing is at an all-time low and reversing this trend requires concerted effort and creative ideas that empower young people to find their voices through storytelling in many different forms.”