The Diverse Book Awards 2022: our adult book specialist Helen casts her vote!

November 4th 2022

About Helen Rosser As Peters' adult stock development librarian, Helen is our first port of call when it comes to the best new adult titles and trending series. She has a wealth of experience, including working in non-fiction publishing, public libraries and academic libraries. A strong believer in the benefits of reading for pleasure for wellbeing, Helen enjoys thrillers, literary fiction and whatever happens to be the blockbuster hit of the moment. MEET MORE OF OUR TEAM

Each year, the Diverse Book Awards ceremony celebrates the very best inclusive children's books, young adult and adult books by diverse authors in the UK and Ireland. Founded by award-winning author Abiola Bello and top publicist Helen Lewis, the innovative awards showcase the talent of marginalised voices. Peters had the opportunity to sponsor the children's category, and our adult stock development librarian Helen Rosser was one of the judges in attendance at the London ceremony, where Kia Abdullah, Natasha Bowen and Benjamin Dean were crowned the 2022 winners. Helen, over to you! 

Author Natasha Bowen wins the Diverse Book Awards Young Adult prize for Skin of the Sea. Credit: Yakir Zur

Books about diversity in our library and school selections is something we pride ourselves on

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.

Behind the scenes

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

Cake, rum punch and revealing the winners

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.

More work needs to be done to dismantle harmful stereotypes

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.

Discover the winning titles!

Children's Book winner Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow by Benjamin Dean 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." DISCOVER

Young Adult winner Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen 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." DISCOVER

Adult Winner Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah 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."  DISCOVER

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