The inaugural Entente Littéraire Prize, a prestigious new literary award celebrating the best of young adult fiction from the UK and France, has unveiled its highly anticipated shortlist. The prize, inspired by the historic Entente Cordiale, aims to foster cultural exchange and promote reading across the two nations.
A distinguished panel of judges, including acclaimed authors Marie-Aude Murail, Timothée de Fombelle, Patrice Lawrence, Joseph Coelho and Joanne Harris, have carefully selected six outstanding titles from a wealth of submissions.
The shortlisted books are:
* Thieves by Lucie Bryon (translated by Lucie Bryon)
* Men Don’t Cry by Faïza Guène (translated by Sarah Ardizzone)
* Jefferson by Jean-Claude Mourlevat (translated by Ros Schwartz)
* Par Le Feu (After The Fire) by Will Hill (translated by Anne Guitton)
* Les Etincelles Invisibles (A Kind of Spark) by Elle McNicoll (translated by Dominique Kugler)
* Le Livre Bleu De Nebo (The Blue Book of Nebo) by Manon Steffan Ros (translated by Lise Garond)
The judges were impressed by the diversity of themes and styles represented on the shortlist, which explores complex issues such as identity, loss, and the power of human connection.
Joanne Harris, president of the judging panel, said, “It was a very strong shortlist, with a pleasing variety of different media and approaches. The list combined some very challenging themes with some insightful comments on the joys and problems of adolescence.”
The winner of the Entente Littéraire Prize will be announced in early December at a special event in London. The winning author will receive a significant cash prize and global recognition.
