Young Quills 2023 – the longlist
HA annual awards for best historical fiction for young people
The Young Quills books for 2023 are now with the reviewing schools, which means that some are right now in the hands of the children who are about to tell us what they think of them!
The Young Quills for Historical Fiction is a competition for adult authors of historical fiction written for children and young people. The books can be on any historical period and subject.
Qualification for entry into the Young Quills only applies to new books which must have been published for the first time in English in the year preceding the competition – so in 2022 for this year’s selection.
Divided by age suitability the books are given to schools on the condition that the children and young people there write a review of the book following our criteria. Those reviews are used as the basis for us to create a shortlist from which the winners are selected. We also publish some of the reviews. All this means that the intended audience of the books are part of the judging process. This year we have also invited some schools to take part through registration, rather than by receiving books.
Previous winners have included Tony Bradman, Ally Sherrick, Barbara Henderson and Lucy Strange.
Even if the school of a child in your life is not taking part in the competition they can still be inspired by what is being read. Take a look at this year’s books or the shortlists and winners of previous years:
Title |
|
Author |
|
Publisher |
For younger readers aged 7–11 years
|
||||
|
The Baker by the Sea |
White, Paula |
Templar Books |
||
|
Bruno and Frida |
Bradman, Tony |
Barrington Stoke |
||
|
The Ever Changing Earth |
Baker-Smith, Grahame |
Templar Books |
||
|
The Fire Cats of London |
Fargher, Anna |
Macmillan |
||
|
The Reluctant Rebel |
Henderson, Barbara |
Luath |
||
|
Out of the Rubble |
Nicholls, Sally |
Oxford |
||
|
The Accidental Stowaway |
Eagle, Judith |
Faber |
||
For intermediate readers aged 11–13 years
|
||||
|
The Battle of Cable Street |
Landman, Tanya |
Barrington Stoke |
||
|
The Book of Stolen Dreams |
Farr, David |
Usborne |
||
|
Dick Kerr Girls: All Together Now |
Ainsworth, Eve |
UCLan |
||
|
Dogs of the Deadlands |
McGowan, Anthony |
Rock the Boat / Oneworld |
||
|
The Elemental Detectives |
Lawrence, Patrice |
Scholastic |
||
|
Enola Homes: The Case of the Missing Marquess |
Springer, Nancy |
Hot Key Books |
||
|
Fin and the Memory Curse |
Stachera, Helenka |
Puffin |
||
|
The Good Turn |
Jackson, Sharna |
Puffin |
||
|
Journey Back to Freedom |
Johnson, Catherine |
Barrington Stoke |
||
|
The Lizzie & Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger |
Williams, J.T. |
Farshore |
||
|
Magicborn |
Bunzl, Peter |
Usborne |
||
|
The Mermaid and the Millpond |
Strange, Lucy |
Barrington Stoke |
||
|
The Ministry of Unladylike Activity |
Stevens, Robin |
Puffin |
||
|
The Misunderstandings of Charity Brown |
Laird, Elizabeth |
Macmillan |
||
|
My Friend the Octopus |
Galvin, Lindsay |
Chicken House |
||
|
Never Forget You |
Gavin, Jamila |
Farshore |
||
|
Nisha's War |
Smith, Dan |
Chicken House |
||
|
Please Write Soon |
Rosen, Michael |
Scholastic |
||
|
Resist: One Girl's Fight Back Against the Nazis |
Palmer, Tom |
Barrington Stoke |
||
|
Rosie Raja: Churchill's Spy |
Ahmed, Sufiya |
Bloomsbury |
||
|
The Secret of the Treasure Keepers |
Howell, A.M. |
Usborne |
||
|
The Story of Babur: Prince, Emperor, Sage |
Anuradha (illustrated by Jane Ray) |
Scala Arts & Heritage Publishing |
||
|
The Tale of Truthwater Lake |
Carroll, Emma |
Faber |
||
|
The Three Hares: The Terracotta Horse |
Lauder, Scott & Ross, David |
Neem Tree Press |
||
|
The Titanic Tunnel |
Blackwell, Glen |
Zoetrope Books |
||
|
When the War Came Home |
Parr, Lesley |
Bloomsbury |
||
|
The Whisperling |
Hoskins, Hayley |
Puffin |
||
For young adults aged 14 years and above
|
||||
|
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow |
Katouh, Zoulfa |
Bloomsbury |
||
|
Baby Love |
Wilson, Jacqueline |
Penguin |
||
|
Destination Unknown |
Konigsberg, Bill |
Scholastic |
||
|
Escape from Chernobyl |
Marino, Andy |
Scholastic |
||
|
The Secrets Act |
Weatherby, Alison |
Chicken House |
||
|
Soul of the Deep |
Bowen, Natasha |
Penguin |
||
For further information on the Young Quills please contact enquiries@history.org.uk