Shortlists revealed for the Diverse Book Awards
THE shortlists for the inaugural Diverse Book Awards has been released, with 15 titles covering children’s, YA and adult fiction. Five books in each category have been shortlisted, and the winning titles will be revealed at an online Awards Ceremony on 22 October. The Diverse Book Awards were created by The Author School to highlight and surface the best diverse voices in UK publishing. Author School founders Abiola Bello and Helen Lewis, say the shortlists show the high standard of story-telling from UK writers. All the books, from the longlist up to the winners (when they are revealed), help readers discover new voices, stories and talent.
Abiola said: “We think it shows that there are amazing diverse and inclusive books available written by British authors, published by UK- based publishing houses. There’s a lot of attention given to diverse books from the States and we wanted to champion UK talent. There are titles on the list that we hadn’t read before and it was a great chance to discover new talent – we hope others will use
Omar soon finds that things aren’t always as bad as they seem.
The Diverse Book Awards to expand their reading lists.”
Helen and Abiola are keen to build on the awards, and will be looking to attract even more entries over the coming years. Helen said: “We’re only in our first year but we have big ambitions for the awards. We hope that each year we see more and more entries, not just from the big publishing houses but quality books from self-published and hybrid published authors too. It would be amazing to see the number of submissions rise year- on-year in line with more and more diversity and inclusivity being seen in publishing. The awards have encouraged publishers of all shapes and sizes to look at their list from last year and consider which books they could enter. We hope it’s also encouraging them to look at what they have planned for next year and the year after that too.”
Children’s Shortlist
My Hair by Hannah Lee, illustrated by Allen Fatimaharan (Faber & Faber) – With a birthday coming up there’s new clothes to wear, but the big question is “How shall I style My Hair?” A joyful picture book bursting with excitement about preparing for a big day.
Judge Caroline Fielding.
Planet Omar Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian, illustrated by Nasaya Mafaridik (Hodder) – Omar moves to a new town and that means a new school, with local bully Daniel to contend with. But “Trouble Magnet”
Son of the Circus by E. L. Norry (Scholastic) – When a stranger arrives at their home, Ted and George learn the truth about the father they have never met – he is Britain’s first black circus owner and he is determined to teach Ted the tricks of the trade.
The Star Outside My Window by Onjali Q. Rauf (Orion Children’s Books) – Aniyah is on a mission to find her mum – and when a mysterious star is discovered near earth, she knows just what she has to do, even if it means breaking all the rules.
Tin Boy by Steve Cole, illustrated by Oriol Vidal (Barrington Stoke) – Tono is a tin miner, working in dangerous conditions for his unforgiving uncle. His life changes following an accident and the discovery of a bright red stone that could possess super powers.
YA Shortlist
All The Things We Never Said by Yasmin Rahman (Hot Key Books) – Mehreen’s anxiety and depression are taking over her life, and she can’t bear it any more so she takes desperate measures – only to find that new friendships bring new hope, but is it too late?
Chinglish: An Almost Entirely True Story by Sue Cheung (Andersen Press) – Jo Kwan’s family has moved to a new town – which means a cramped flat, annoying siblings, fashions disasters (it is 1984, after all), and dreams of breaking free to become an artist. Will she make it through her teenage years?
The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta (Hodder) – A coming-of-age verse novel takes us through Michael’s journey as a mixed-race, gay boy finding his place in the adult world – ready to step out on to the stage as The Black Flamingo.
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