Joanne Harris to judge €8k Entente Littéraire Prize

Author Joanne Harris will lead the British-French jury for the new Entente Littéraire Prize for writers of young adult literature. 

The new UK-France literary prize was launched last year by Queen Camilla and French president Emmanuel Macron’s wife, Brigitte, as part of the 120th anniversary celebrations for the Entente Cordiale, the 1904 agreement between the UK and French governments that improved bilateral relations. 

Two prizes of €8,000 (£6,844) will be awarded. One for a piece of YA writing submitted in French and translated into English, and for a piece of English writing translated into French. Each €8,000 prize will be split equally between the creators of the book. This means the writer and translator, and where applicable, the illustrator, will be rewarded equally. 

Prize submissions formally opened following a press conference held at the French Residence in Kensington, London, last night (23rd January). The prize is for published works only. 

Harris, who is bilingual and will act as president of judges, said: "As a dual national of France and of the UK, I’m thrilled and honoured to play a role in the launch of this exciting new prize, which represents so much that is dear to me; the country that taught me to love reading, and the country that taught me how to be a writer."

She added: "Both our countries have a rich and varied literary heritage as well as a close shared history and it’s wonderful to see them in partnership for this welcome celebration of young adult fiction. It’s also wonderful to be part of a prize that celebrates translators as well as creators, and I’m looking forward, both to reading the entries, and to working with my colleagues from both sides of the Channel."

She will be joined on the judging panel by YA writers Marie-Aude Murail, and Timothée de Fombelle from France and Patrice Lawrence and Joseph Coelho from the UK.

The deadline for entries is Monday 8th April 2024. The judges will compile a shortlist to be announced in winter 2024, which will feature up to three works translated from French into English, and up to three works translated from English into French. The winners will be announced shortly afterwards at a special event in Paris. 

The prize is organised by the Royal Society of Literature and the Institut Français du Royaume-Uni in London, in collaboration with the French Ministry of Culture, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the British Embassy in Paris and the French Embassy in London.