THIS WEEK
The Lead Story The YA Book Prize 2021
Oseman wins YA Book Prize with Loveless, a ‘joyful’ tale of self-discovery
Author-illustrator Alice Oseman has been named the winner of this year’s YA Book Prize, emerging successful from a 10-strong shortlist to claim the £2,000 purse at an event which was aired online this week
A
lice Oseman has scooped the YA Book Prize 2021 with her “joyful” coming- out story about a romance-obsessed
teenager who realises that she is aromantic and asexual. Loveless (HarperCollins Children’s Books) was chosen from a 10-strong shortlist that also included books by Alex Wheatle, Meg Rosoff and former winner Patrice Lawrence. Loveless was revealed as the winner of the £2,000 prize in a digital announcement on Thursday (6th May). Oseman said: “I was absolutely gobsmacked to hear that I’d won the YA Book Prize 2021! Loveless was the most difficult creative project of my life, and I am so uterly thrilled that it has won such a prestigious award. The UK is home to such an incredible and unique YA literature commu- nit, it’s an honour to have been chosen as this year’s YA Book Prize winner.” Loveless tells the story of Georgia, who
heads to universit ready to find romance. With her outgoing roommate on her side and a place in the Shakespeare Societ, her “teen- age dream” is in sight, but when her atempts to form a romantic relationship wreaks havoc among her friends, she starts to question why love seems so easy for other people but not for her. As new terms are thrown at her—asexual, aromantic—Georgia becomes more uncertain about her feelings than ever. The title has sold 7,274 copies through Nielsen Bookscan (excluding sales in lockdown weeks) since it was published last July.
Oseman has said of the inspiration behind the book: “I began with the desire to write a story about the power of platonic love. My previous novels had all explored this idea in a small way, but never as the main theme of the story. I wanted to craſt a story that had
06 7th May 2021
ALICE OSEMAN IS THE SEVENTH WINNER OF THE YA BOOK PRIZE
The YA Book Prize 2021 shortlistees
Wranglestone Darren Charlton Little Tiger,
9781788951210, £7.99 In post-apocalyptic America, a community survives in Wranglestone national park. When Peter puts the camp in danger, he leaves home to help Cooper, the boy he’s always watched from afar. As love blossoms, a dark discovery reveals the sanctuary’s secret past.
Good Girl, Bad Blood Holly Jackson Electric Monkey,
9781405297752, £7.99 In the sequel to bestseller A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, teen detective Pip reluctantly returns to sleuthing to investigate the disappearance of a friend’s brother. As she does, she uncovers more of her town’s dark secrets along the way...
And the Stars Were Burning Brightly Danielle Jawando Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, 9781471178771, £7.99 Nathan is on a quest for answers in the aftermath of his brother Al’s suicide. Al’s friend Megan is also determined to keep his memory alive. Together they start seeking answers, but will they be able to handle the truth?
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
