Waterstones prize winner Elle McNicoll: ‘I never saw autistic girls in books’

The author was repeatedly told that no one wanted to read fun books with disabled heroes. Now she has won the £5,000 Waterstones children’s book prize for her debut, A Kind of SparkWhen Scottish author Elle McNicoll was first trying to enter the publishing world, she was repeatedly told that people didn’t want to read about an autistic heroine. “In job interviews, I was saying that I wanted to see more books with disabled characters in them that were not traumatic, boring or educational, but fun and full of life. A lot of the reactions were, ‘Waterstones don’t like books like that’,” she says.Now McNicoll’s debut novel A Kind of Spark has won the Waterstones children’s book prize. Published by tiny independent Knights Of, it follows Addie, an 11-year-old autistic girl, as she campaigns for a memorial to the witch trials that took place in her Scottish village. The novel has been praised by Waterstones’ booksellers as “eye opening, heart-wrenching, sad [and] inspiring”. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2021-07-01 05:01:05 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "Waterstones prize winner Elle McNicoll: ‘I never saw autistic girls in books’"

A Secret Reverberates Across Four Generations of an East African Indian Family

In her debut novel A History of Burning, Janika Oza gives us the story of a family, one migration journey at a time. Beginning with indentured labor that leads the first member of the family, Pirbhai, from his home in India to East Africa, we follow four generations across several continents and... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2023-05-12 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Author of children’s book about grief charged with murdur-durdur.

“How’d you become a children’s book author?” The answer for Kouri Richins, a Utah mom of three who wrote Are You With Me?, a children’s book about coping with grief, is that she allegedly poisoned her husband, then wrote a book about loss. The Associated Press reports that Utah police arrested... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-05-09 14:02:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Happy coronation week! Here’s an unforgivable children’s book about King Charles.

When we were but children in a distant former colony, we had a set of cardboard coronation crowns upholstered poorly in imitation velvet so we could play kings and queens. The Queen was on our money, and her portrait hung in our primary school. Now we are on the eve of the next coronation, and […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-05-05 13:32:01 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Marine biologist highlights the importance of seaweed in new children's book

Professional seaweed harvester and marine biologist Amanda Swinimer has published a children’s book highlighting how important seaweed is for nutrition and for protecting the planet against climate change. Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2023-05-05 04:24:48 UTC ]
More news stories like this

When Children’s Book Authors Don’t Like Children’s Books

Authors like Louisa May Alcott and A.A. Milne learned their success in children's literature didn't translate to respect for their art. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-04-27 10:33:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Dead Ink wins Republic of Consciousness prize with Missouri Williams’s ‘astonishing’ debut

The award, championing small presses with fewer than five staff, was won by The Doloriad – an audaciously original novel set in a post-apocalyptic dystopiaDead Ink Books has won the Republic of Consciousness prize for small presses for Missouri Williams’s “astonishing” debut novel The Doloriad.... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-04-26 08:35:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Dazzling Dangles and Studs: Earrings for Children’s Book Lovers

From Chicka Chicka Boom Boom to Bunnicula, these earrings for children's book lovers are a delight. - Kelly Jensen Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-04-24 10:32:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Matthew Gray Gubler to Wrap Up Children’s Program at U.S. Book Show

The actor, director, and author-illustrator will give the closing keynote presentation at the U.S. Book Show children’s book program on May 24. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-04-18 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

This Week's Bestsellers: April 17, 2023

Kate Morton’s seventh novel, Homecoming, lands at #2 on our hardcover fiction list. Plus children’s book juggernaut Mo Willems makes his adult debut, and a pair of new books on our hardcover nonfiction list encourage readers to get physical. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-04-14 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Scotland’s Highland Book Prize Names Its Shortlist

With a £2,000 purse for the winner, four shortlistees are named by the regionally specific Highland Book Prize. The post Scotland’s Highland Book Prize Names Its Shortlist appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-04-12 19:07:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

‘There’s no part we can’t do. That’s so empowering’: the CBBC drama revolutionising onscreen autism

Groundbreaking kids’ series A Kind of Spark is staffed by neurodivergent talent and treats its lead character like almost no other on TV. It’s cool, fun and powerfulNever before has there been a cool, edgy kids TV series that can attest to hiring neurodivergent actors, performing a script... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-04-11 15:12:44 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Book Review: ‘The Weight,’ by Jeff Boyd

Jeff Boyd’s searching debut novel portrays a Black musician alienated from his city, his faith and his past. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-04-10 09:00:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Book Deals: Week of April 10, 2023

Actor Millie Bobby Brown sells a debut novel to William Morrow, and S&S buys a memoir from Sheila Johnson, cofounder of BET. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-04-07 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

An anti-trans children’s book illustrator has been charged with terroristic threatening.

Another day, another piece of horrifying anti-trans news in the book world. Even by recent standards, though, this one seems particularly fucked-up. An Alaska-based children’s book illustrator has been dropped by his publisher after making terroristic threats against transgender people. Mitchell... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-04-06 18:26:08 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Susanna Hoffs Has a Dollar Bill Signed by William S. Burroughs

“I queued up to get his autograph with nothing but a dollar bill for him to sign,” says the pop star, whose debut novel is “This Bird Has Flown.” “He glanced up, amused, gave me a mischievous half-smile and said, ‘Ah, defacing U.S. currency,’ and proceeded to sign it.” Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-04-06 09:00:12 UTC ]
More news stories like this

In England: Children’s Book Publisher Peter Usborne Remembered

The founder of England's Usborne Publishing, Peter Usborne, is said to have died 'unexpectedly but peacefully,' surrounded by family. The post In England: Children’s Book Publisher Peter Usborne Remembered appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-04-03 17:12:06 UTC ]
More news stories like this

The Bangles' Susanna Hoffs wrote her debut novel about a pop star. It's not her

Bangles singer Susanna Hoffs has written a novel, 'This Bird Has Flown,' about an 'over-the-hill' one-hit wonder finding love — and it kind of rocks. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-04-03 13:00:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Millie Bobby Brown's debut novel is inspired by grandma's 'very personal' WWII story

Millie Bobby Brown of 'Stranger Things' will release her debut novel later this year. 'Nineteen Steps' is inspired by her grandma's experiences during WWII. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-03-24 22:14:27 UTC ]
More news stories like this

A Young Woman’s Perspective on Being With an Older Man

Formative love affairs and sentimental educations are classic novelistic territory. And for good reason— these connections serve as catalysts, tell stories taut with tension, and leave characters forever changed. Madelaine Lucas’s debut novel Thirst for Salt describes such a relationship, set in... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2023-03-09 12:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this