Historical detectives win Little Rebels Award
LITTLE Rebels Award for Radical Chil- dren’s Fiction 2024 has been awarded to the second book in a detective series set against the backdrop of real-life British black history. Author J.T. Williams’s middle grade detective series Lizzie and Belle is about two black British girls solving mysteries in 18th-century London. The second book in the series – Portraits and Poison – which explores a history of Black British activism, introducing young readers to real life, Geor- gian-London, campaigners such as the Sons (& Daughters) of Africa, won the award. Farrah Serroukh, Little Rebels Award Judge, said Portraits and Poison, published by Farshore, is “a fantastic means of coun- tering erasure across all spheres including artistic, fictional, historical and political; challenging misrepresentations whilst encased in a brilliantly crafted, engaging and accessible story.” The organisers of the Little Rebels Award
said: “We love how Portraits and Poison, with its themes of civil disobedience and rebellion, channels the spirit, energy and optimism of the Little Rebels Award.”
J.T., who was inspired by the life stories
of real 18th Century black historical figures Dido Belle and Ignatius Sancho, who were both born into slavery, was presented with the £2,000 prize money funded by the Barry Amiel & Norman Melburn Trust, £250 from the Gill Lewis Award to be donated by the winner to a charity of their choice, and a limited edition print by Ken Wilson Max, commissioned by and exclusive to the award. The first in her series,Drama and Danger, was longlisted for the Little Rebels Award in 2023, when the award was won by Patrice Lawrence for Needle (Barrington Stoke). The Little Rebels Award Ceremony was held at the Centre for Literacy in Primary Educa- tion after a panel discussion on centring radical fiction for children.
This is the 12th year of the Little Rebels
Award which celebrates radical fiction for children aged up to 12. The award rec- ognises children’s books which explore political ideas, challenge the status quo, or promote social justice, social equality and a more peaceful and fairer world. And it is given on behalf of the Alliance
of Radical Booksellers (ARB), the award is administered by ARB members, Hous- mans Bookshop and Letterbox Library. The 2024 Little Rebels Award Judges
were: Emily Haworth-Booth, author and illustrator (and former award shortlistee); Jake Hope, reading development and chil- dren’s book consultant; Farrah Serroukh, Research and Development Director at the Centre for Literature in Primary Education (CLPE); Alom Shaha, teacher and author; Soofiya, illustrator, designer and lecturer. The other shortlisted books were: Man- Man and the Tree of Memories by Yaba Badoe and Joelle Avelino (Head of Zeus Books); A Hero Like Me by Angela Joy, Jen Reid and Leire Salaberria (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books); We are Here by Kate Rafiq (Dune Books); Grandad’s Pride by Harry Woodgate (Andersen Press); Is That Your Mama? By Patrice Lawrence and Diane Ewen (Scholastic); You’re So Amazing! by James and Lucy Catchpole, and Karen George (Faber & Faber); The Piano at the Station by Helen Rutter with illustrations by Elisa Paganelli (Barrington Stoke).
October-November 2024
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