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 ]
News tagged with: #waterstones children #book prize #publishing world #people didn #disabled characters #witch trials #eye opening #debut novel #children’s book

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


Ed Vere wins Oscar’s Book Prize

Ed Vere has won this year’s £5,000 Oscar’s Book Prize with his picture book How to be a Lion (Puffin). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book prize #ed vere


Susskind wins Estoril Global Issues Distinguished Book Prize

James Susskind will receive the €15,000 (£13,000) Estoril Global Issues Distinguished Book Prize later this month for his debut Future Politics (Oxford University Press). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


British Book Awards’ Top 2019 Prize Goes to Ireland’s Sally Rooney

The annual 'Nibbies,' as the British Book Awards are known, this year are led by the acclaimed Irish author, Sally Rooney, who calls herself 'astonishingly lucky.' The post British Book Awards’ Top 2019 Prize Goes to Ireland’s Sally Rooney appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-05-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sally rooney


Israel’s International Book Forum Opens With Joyce Carol Oates’ Jerusalem Prize

Speaking of the conscious effort it takes to nurture literary creative talent, Joyce Carol Oates accepts the Jerusalem Prize on the opening of the 2019 Jerusalem International Book Forum. The post Israel’s International Book Forum Opens With Joyce Carol Oates’ Jerusalem Prize appeared first on... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post israel #jerusalem prize


STR Theatre Book Prize shortlist revealed

The six-title shortlist has been revealed for this year’s Society of Theatre Research (STR) Theatre Book Prize. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Wellcome Book Prize won by Will Eaves' Alan Turing novel

Will Eaves' novel uses the legacy of Alan Turing to explore the impact of torture. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2019-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #alan turing


Will Eaves’ ‘Murmur’ from CB Editions Wins 2019 Wellcome Book Prize

The novel 'Murmur' wins author Will Eaves the £30,000 Wellcome Book Prize, presented Wednesday evening (May 1) in London. The post Will Eaves’ ‘Murmur’ from CB Editions Wins 2019 Wellcome Book Prize appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Oscar’s Book Prize Announces Its 2019 Shortlist for Kids Under 5

Named for an avid young reader who died very early, Oscar's Book Prize recognizes titles for pre-schoolers with an eye to family reading. The post Oscar’s Book Prize Announces Its 2019 Shortlist for Kids Under 5 appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Puffin and Bloomsbury strike twice on Oscar’s Book Prize shortlist

Penguin Random House division Puffin and Bloomsbury both have two titles shortlisted for this year’s £5,000 Oscar’s Book Prize. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #titles shortlisted #book prize


Collins wins the Penderyn Music Book Prize with 'joyous' memoir

Musician Shirley Collins’ memoir All in the Downs (Strange Attractor) has won the Penderyn Music Book Prize for 2019. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Vintage ‘blown away by talent’ as Kingston Animation Prize winners revealed

The winners of the Kingston Animation Prize have been revealed, with Vintage judges praising this year’s entries for their “imagination, vision and unusual approach”.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #unusual approach


German Book Prize Draws 173 Titles for This Year’s Competition

German Book Prize jurors are reviewing the submissions for the 2019 literary award: 173 titles in total, of which 71 won't be published until this fall. The post German Book Prize Draws 173 Titles for This Year’s Competition appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #competition appeared


'Upbeat' refugee tale wins children's book prize

The Boy at the Back of the Class is "a future classic", Waterstones Children's Book Prize judges say. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2019-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book prize #future classic #waterstones children


Sheikh Zayed Book Award 2019 Winners: ‘World-Class Thinkers and Authors’

This year's recipients of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, as announced to date, come from Morocco, Kuwait, Algeria, Lebanon, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. The post Sheikh Zayed Book Award 2019 Winners: ‘World-Class Thinkers and Authors’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #united kingdom


2019 J. Anthony Lukas Prize Project Award Winners Announced

Columbia Journalism School and the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard have named the five winners and the two finalists of the 2019 Lukas Prize Project Awards. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Indies dominate Wellcome Book Prize shortlist

Independent publishers take up more than half of the Wellcome Book Prize shortlist with Canongate, Oneworld, CB Editions and the Text Publishing company all vying for the £30,000 award. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #independent publishers #cb editions


Danielle McLaughlin among $165k Windham-Campbell Prize winners

Irish author Danielle McLaughlin has been awarded a $165,000 Windham-Campbell Prize, alongside seven other writers honoured for their literary achievements. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


At London Book Fair: The Man Booker International Prize Longlist

From nine languages on three continents, the Man Booker International Prize will again split the winners' award between author and translator. The post At London Book Fair: The Man Booker International Prize Longlist appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #london book fair


Stormzy announces #Merky Books New Writers’ Prize

Grime artist Stormzy’s #Merky Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House's William Heinemann division, has announced a prize for new writers to “promote the stories that aren’t being heard”. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


London Book and Screen Week Names 2019 CAMEO Award Winners

The London Book Fair's public-facing festival, London Book and Screen Week, opens with its annual CAMEO Awards program for adaptations from the publishing world. The post London Book and Screen Week Names 2019 CAMEO Award Winners appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #screen week #publishing world