You are viewing your 1 free article this month. Login to read more articles.
Nathanael Lessore's story of a 'lovable teen rapper' wins the 2024 Branford Boase Award
Nathanael Lessore has won the 2024 Branford Boase Award, which is awarded for an outstanding debut novel for young people, with Steady For This (Hot Key Books). The book tells the story of 13-year-old "would be rapper" Shaun, as he "navigates life, love and dreams of stardom".
The Branford Boase Award, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, honours both the editor and the author, and Lessore shares the win with his editors, Ella Whiddett and Ruth Bennett of Hot Key Books. The author has won a cheque for £1,000 and he and the editors received engraved trophies.
“Every book on this year’s shortlist represents the very best of children’s literature and shows how the publishing industry is adapting to the needs of children and young people today," said Christine Pillainayagam, who won the prize last year for Ellie Pillai is Brown (Faber & Faber) and was a judge this year. "Despite strong competition, Steady For This was a unanimous winner. A bright, funny, moving story that felt joyful and fresh, we couldn’t wait to read more of Nathanael’s work."
This year’s winning book is set in the Peckham estate where the author grew up. “My childhood on the north Peckham estate was actually fun, and mostly positive, so all I had to do was write honestly about life in an estate,” he said. On winning the Branford Boase Award, he added: “Writing Steady For This was fun, in the same way that crying with laughter or having unlimited funds at a funfair is fun. I can’t say that I’m proud of myself for writing Steady For This, in the same way I’m not proud of myself for playing pool in the pub, because I enjoyed myself so much when doing it. And while work plays a big part in the publishing of books, so does luck."
On sharing the win with his editors, Lessore said: "My publisher Hot Key Books and my editors Ella and Ruth have played the role of a genie in a lamp granting wishes. The best thing about this award is that I get to share it with my genies. Together, we’ve produced a book that brings a smile to people’s faces, and I will forever be grateful to the Branford Boase Award for choosing Steady For This as this year’s winner.”
Whiddett commented: “We knew Nate was a very special writer from the first page of this extraordinary story about an ordinary boy living and laughing through the growing pains of teenage-hood. Years after that first read, Steady For This continues to bring such joy to my life, so to be shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award with this book in particular was truly special."
Bennett added: "It’s such an incredible honour for the editorial partnership between Nate, Ella and me to be recognised by the judges. Working on bringing Nate’s unforgettable characters and unique storytelling skill to readers has been a satisfying and hugely enjoyable experience from start to finish."
The 2024 winners of the Branford Boase Award were announced by Pillainayagam on Wednesday 10th July at a ceremony at Centre for Literacy in Primary Education in London.
“25 years after their deaths, we are delighted to be remembering Wendy Boase and Henrietta Branford and celebrating such dynamic editor/author relationships through the award that bears their names," said Julia Eccleshare, chair of the judges and co-founder of the Branford Boase Award. "Children’s books have changed a great deal in those 25 years but the creative partnership between author and editor, so evident in Wendy and Henrietta’s working relationship, is still the heart of successful publishing."
The Branford Boase Award is delivered in partnership with the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society and supported by Walker Books.
