Congratulations to Lex Croucher who has won the YA Book Prize for Gwen & Art Are Not in Love, their YA fiction debut. A queer Knight’s Tale, this delightful romcom has a glittering cast of adorable characters, cheeky world-building (the royalty are so obsessed with their potentially magic lineage to King Arthur that there’s a court wizard) and more witty repartee than you can shake a sword at.
The winner was announced at a ceremony at the Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF), hosted by judge and former YA Book Prize winner Alice Oseman.
Katie Fraser, The Bookseller’s staff writer and chair of the judging panel commented: “I couldn’t be happier with our shortlist and our incredibly deserving winner. It is a special year for the YA Book Prize as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the award and this year’s nominees encapsulate the strides being made in UK YA, making it a welcoming space where every young adult and teenager can see themselves represented. Lex Croucher’s YA debut is a joyous winner. Their story is filled with heart, wit and lovable characters you won’t want to leave behind. A delightful queer romcom that champions the value of friendship, Gwen & Art Are Not in Love shows Croucher to be a glorious new voice in YA and a worthy winner.”
Gwen & Art Are Not in Love triumphed over a strong shortlist that included How to Die Famous by Benjamin Dean, The First Move by Jenny Ireland and Yours from the Tower by Sally Nicholls.
The YA Book Prize, celebrating 10 fabulous years, was launched by The Bookseller in 2014 to acknowledge quality teenage fiction. In the years since, we have seen a welcome rise in YA readers, with two in three 14-25-year-olds now reporting to be reading more, according to a research from HarperCollins, the UK's number one publisher of YA books. We know that young people who strongly identify as a reader report higher levels of happiness and better mental health, and readers of all ages are turning to young adult fiction as a source of self-care, with almost one in three readers of this category aged over 28.
To mark a decade of the YA Book Prize here is a full list of winners...
2024 - Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher.
Croucher writes with vivid exaggeration and touching relatability on the wild adventures of love and lust.
2023 - When Our Worlds Collided by Danielle Jawando.
A powerful yet tender coming-of-age novel that unflinchingly tackles racism in justice and education
2022 - Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar.
Hani and Ishu couldn’t be less alike – and they definitely don’t like each other. But when fates collide and they pretend to date each other, things start to get messy…
2021 - Loveless by Alice Oseman.
A trailblazing coming-out, coming-of-age treasure with universal messages about self-love, friendship and finding your way.
2020 - Meat Market by Juno Dawson.
Honest and raw, this is a timely expose of the dark underbelly of the fashion industry in an era of #TimesUp and #MeToo.
2019 - Goodbye, Perfect by Sara Barnard.
Fresh-voiced and thought-provoking contemporary YA exploring friendship, trust, messing up and trying to do the right thing in the aftermath of a teen girl going on the run with a teacher.
2018 - After the Fire by Will Hill.
A powerful exploration of what can happen to a section of society and an individual when they live in a society they are at odds with inspired by the Waco siege in Texas 1993.
2017 - Orangeboy by Patrice Lawrence.
A young man has an impossible choice to make, in this powerful coming-of-age urban thriller.
A tender, funny and life affirming story about Grace and Tippi, conjoined twins facing a difficult life decision.
2015 - Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill.
In a dystopian future women are created to 'perfection' for the pleasure of men, for beauty in this world is the first duty of every girl.
Find the ten winners below, all are absolute must-reads.
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