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 ]

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Book Deals: Week of September 7, 2020

Oprah’s Flatiron imprint nabs a nonfiction title by a Nobel laureate, Holt buys a debut novel by a PRH UK editor, and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-04 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Bologna Children’s Book Fair Is on the Ether With Moscow

Still planning to mount a first children's book fair in Moscow next year, BolognaFiere is 'in' Moscow this week but primarily digitally. The post Bologna Children’s Book Fair Is on the Ether With Moscow appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-09-03 18:24:47 UTC ]
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HQ scoops Sheffield-set debut novel from journalist Rawlins

HQ has scooped The Steel Girls, a debut novel from journalist and university lecturer Michelle Rawlins, in a three-book deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-01 19:21:33 UTC ]
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In Ros Anderson’s ‘The Hierarchies,’ a robotic heroine longs for a better life

Ros Anderson’s debut novel may not break new ground, but the depth of its first-person presentation is a quiet triumph. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-08-30 06:19:39 UTC ]
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After her epic debut novel on slavery's descendants, Yaa Gyasi wrote even closer to home

In 'Transcendent Kingdom,' Yaa Gyasi's second novel, she focuses on America — its promise and peril — and on one Ghanaian American family in Alabama. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-08-27 16:49:47 UTC ]
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Power and Passage: New Science Fiction and Fantasy

A story collection offers a cleareyed survey of the Black American experience, and a debut novel traverses hundreds of versions of Earth. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-08-27 09:00:05 UTC ]
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A Novel About Rebelling Against Toxic Positivity

Janet, the acerbic narrator of Lucie Britsch’s debut novel Sad Janet, is a resister. She’s sad—has been for most of her life—and doesn’t want to take the pills that big pharma, her mother, and the culture at-large is pushing on her to “fix” her. She’s content with sadness, and she’s not into the... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2020-08-26 11:00:00 UTC ]
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Happy pub day to the first mainstream children’s book featuring a Sikh character.

A groundbreaking children’s book based on an equally groundbreaking sports hero comes out today: Fauja Singh Keeps Going by Simran Jeet Singh, featuring the story of the first centenarian marathon runner, is also the first children’s book from a major publisher that features a Sikh main... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-08-25 16:06:55 UTC ]
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Bolinda scoops Mennuti comedy about publishing world

Bolinda has scooped a “laugh out loud” romantic comedy by debut author Aly Mennuti, featuring a literary agent based partly on the author's own, Simon Trewin. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-25 02:20:12 UTC ]
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Sam Thompson goes to Little Island for children's debut

Little Island Books will publish the debut children’s book of Booker-longlisted novelist Sam Thompson in 2021. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-24 12:43:48 UTC ]
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LeBron Wrote a Children’s Book and It’s Selling Really Well

In “I Promise,” LeBron James and the illustrator Nina Mata give hope to kids when they need it most. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-08-20 09:00:01 UTC ]
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Tinder bags debut novel of former Mr B's bookseller Ishiguro

Tinder Press has acquired a debut novel by Naomi Ishiguro, former bookseller and bibliotherapist at Mr B’s Emporium in Bath. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-20 02:07:21 UTC ]
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German Book Prize Jury Names 20 Novels to Its 2020 Longlist

'A diverse range of themes' and experimentation with form are reflected in the 2020 longlist announced by the jury of the German Book Prize. The post German Book Prize Jury Names 20 Novels to Its 2020 Longlist appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-08-18 12:59:15 UTC ]
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‘Little Scratch’ drops readers into the reality of a distressed mind

Rebecca Watson’s debut novel has a simple story line and an experimental approach. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-08-18 07:39:15 UTC ]
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Allen & Unwin acquires Reeves debut, Victoria Park

Allen & Unwin is publishing Victoria Park, the debut novel of British teacher Gemma Reeves, set in contemporary east London.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-14 03:42:15 UTC ]
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Bette Midler and Michiko Kakutani are teaming up for a children’s book about the hot duck.

Remember 2018, when things were definitely really bad but we could still touch people who didn’t live with us? It was a simpler (but—make no mistake—still terrible) time, when the House was flipped, everyone was in their feelings, and the city of New York was captivated by a very attractive... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-08-13 14:41:38 UTC ]
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In ‘Zo,’ Love Must Overcome Class Difference and Disaster

Xander Miller’s debut novel asks how we can stay together when the world is coming apart. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-08-11 18:21:58 UTC ]
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Lee Conell’s debut novel is a gripping tale of class and privilege

“The Party Upstairs” focuses on the tenants of one building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side Continue reading at The Economist

[ The Economist | 2020-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fourth Estate signs PRH editor's 'dazzling' debut for six figures

Fourth Estate has won a five-publisher auction for the “dazzling” debut novel from PRH assistant editor Kasim Ali, in a six-figure two-book deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-06 21:45:48 UTC ]
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Lee Conell’s debut novel is a gripping tale of class and privilege

“The Party Upstairs” focuses on the tenants of one building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side Continue reading at The Economist

[ The Economist | 2020-08-06 14:59:44 UTC ]
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