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November 4th 2022
When the Diverse Book Awards approached Peters to help judge their adult category of inclusive books and books about diversity, I was delighted, having spent the last 18 months developing our reputation and expertise as suppliers of adult books. Diversity in our library and school selections is something Peters prides itself on, so being part of the awards was a great opportunity, both to keep up to date with the latest, most exciting titles available and to demonstrate the value we place on promoting and supporting lesser heard voices in children’s, YA and adult writing.
As one of a panel of judges for the category, I read and rated the 12-strong longlist to create the 8-title shortlist. Our results were then compiled with those of the longlist judges to create a top three, which were only announced during the awards evening. The longlist books had something for everyone, from gritty courtroom dramas and crime fiction to lyrical literary fiction, magical realism and out-and-out fantasy. They also reflected diverse experiences of race, class, sexuality and migration. All my favourites made the shortlist; I profiled several on our website, and I was excited for the big reveal on the night.
Winning authors Natasha Bowen, Benjamin Dean and Kia Abdullah celebrate with the host and founders of the awards. Credit: Yakir Zur
The awards took place in a private events room at Waterstones Piccadilly in London. There was a fun atmosphere, helped in no short measure by bountiful amounts of cake and rum punch! Everyone chatted and enjoyed the hospitality (I got to meet authors including Kia Abdullah and Zen Cho!) before being seated for the prize announcements. Previous YA winner Sue Cheung hosted the evening, which was both thoughtful and joyous. It was genuinely exciting not knowing who was going to win, and sharing in the authors’ joy as the top three were revealed. The winners all seemed genuinely surprised and delighted, and it was great to have been a part of recognising the excellence of their work.
Children’s winner Benjamin Dean gave a speech reflecting on the importance for children’s wellbeing of seeing themselves represented in books. He talked about his own childhood, when LGBT characters and people of colour were not something he saw on the page. Natasha Bowen won the YA category with her mermaid love story infused with West African mythology. Her winning speech considered how the furore she saw online over the casting of a Black actor in Disney’s The Little Mermaid remake shows how much more work there is to be done to dismantle harmful stereotypes. Winner of the adult category, Kia Abdullah, rejoiced that her writing gave her the opportunity to give voice to characters from working-class immigrant backgrounds like herself.
Children's Book winner
Also longlisted for the 2022 UKLA Book Award Children's Prize, this heartwarming story follows a young Black boy named Archie. After discovering that his dad is gay, he starts a journey to fix his family that includes the London Pride Parade. Our children's librarian adds: "The main character is likeable and there are some laugh-out-loud lines. It deals with big issues, such as LGBT+, in a humorous but positive way."
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Young Adult winner
Our team was blown away by Natasha's fictional exploration of West African mythology, including the legend of Mami Wata, a mermaid who collects the souls of those lost at sea. They say: "Beautiful and harrowing at the same time, there's a lot going on and it requires full attention, but the rewards are ample. The writing is descriptive, it's quite heartbreaking in parts. A thought-provoking, mesmerizing read."
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Adult Winner
A tense page-turner, this clever novel by the bestselling author and travel writer involves a missing child and a high-profile trial that will blow a family apart. Our adult book specialist Helen says: "This is a propulsive, compelling family courtroom drama that ticks all the boxes: gripping plot, effective characterisation, juicy twists. Great for fans of Shari Lapena or John Grisham."
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