Elizabeth Ezra wins Kelpies prize

First-time children’s novelist Elizabeth Ezra has won this year’s Kelpies Prize for new Scottish writing for children.

Ezra, who was born in California but now lives in Edinburgh, won £2,000 and a contract with Floris Books for her entry Ruby McCracken: Tragic Without Magic. The story is about 12-year-old who is plunged into the ‘ordinary world’ and struggles to live without magic. One day she is sent a mysterious hext (spell) that seems to offer a solution, although she has no idea who has sent the hext into the ordinary world.

Eleanor Collins, senior commissioning editor for Floris Books, said: “The standard of entries this year was exceptionally high overall, but the irreverent contemporary humour and sassy voice in Ruby McCracken: Tragic Without Magic really made it stand out.”

Elizabeth Ezra (right) was announced as the winner of the Kelpies Prize by author Jonathan Meres. Picture: Floris Books

Ruby McCracken: Tragic Without Magic will be published under the Kelpies imprint.

Floris Books first awarded the Kelpies Prize in 2005 with support from the Scottish Arts Council, now Creative Scotland, to encourage and reward Scottish writing for children. Previous winners include Janis Mackay, Alex McCall and Lari Don.