Gathered this Monday at the Mediterranean University Center, nearly 300 schoolchildren from Nice participated in the award ceremony for the Youth Prize: the book by Nice students. After several months of reading and discussions about four selected books, the young jurors designated their 2026 winner.
Created in 2022 by the city of Nice in partnership with independent bookstores, this prize invites each year school and middle school classes to read several children’s literature books before voting for their favorite. The students came from Ariane Piaget, St Sylvestre, Von Derwies schools and Louis Nucéra, Maurice Jaubert, Jules Valeri middle schools.
This year, four books were in the running: Le Bisclavret de Guerlédan by Morgan of Glencoe, Le jour où tout s’arrêta by Vincent Tirilly, Mystères à New York by Alain Surget, and Hazel tout court, et les failles du temps : l’étrange invention de Granny Boum-Boum by Ellie S. Green.
A ceremony led by the students
Even before the start of the ceremony, the atmosphere was already lively in the amphitheater of the Mediterranean University Center. The students were chatting, turning to their classmates, fidgeting on their seats. The impatience was palpable: in just a few minutes, they were going to discover which book would win the Youth Prize: the book by Nice students.
Two students offered a riddle about the characters from the selected books. A short play, performed by a fifth-grade class from Von Derwies school, also highlighted the ceremony.
Throughout the afternoon, various presentations took place: readings of excerpts, class presentations, and small activities prepared by students. Middle school students took turns at the microphone to discuss the books, while students from Saint-Sylvestre school read a passage from Mystères à New York. Some spoke confidently, others a bit nervously, but all participated enthusiastically.
The verdict of the young readers
Present at the event, Auguste Vérola, deputy mayor and delegate for Culture and Civil Affairs, praised the initiative and thanked the independent bookstores partnering in the project. The sponsor of the prize, Susie Morgenstern, initially expected, was ultimately unable to attend due to a “delay.”
The much-anticipated moment finally arrived at the end of the ceremony. Before an attentive audience, the official announced the voting result. With 97 votes, the 2026 winner is Hazel tout court, et les failles du temps: l’étrange invention de Granny Boum-Boum. In the hall, applause erupted and several students expressed their joy. Mystères à New York ranked second with 86 votes.
In conclusion, Jean-Sébastien Ray, president of the association of independent bookstores of Nice and manager of the bookstore Les Journées Suspendues, reminded everyone that the goal of the prize goes beyond just ranking: “this prize is here to give you an experience with reading. We hope that you will continue to read and to feel emotions through books.”
