Shortlist for the inaugural UK-France Entente Littéraire Prize revealed

Faïza Guène’s Men Don’t Cry, translated by Sarah Ardizzone (Cassava Republic Press), and Lucie Bryon’s Thieves (Flying Eye Books) have been shortlisted for the inaugural Entente Littéraire Prize (Prix de l’Entente Littéraire), a new UK-France literary prize for writers of young adult literature.

The idea to establish a UK-France literary prize was agreed by Prime Minister Sunak and President Macron at the UK-France bilateral summit in Paris on 10th March 2023. It was launched in September of that year by Her Majesty The Queen and Madame Brigitte Macron, during the King and Queen’s state visit to France, and is inspired by the Entente Cordiale – the 1904 agreement between the UK and French governments that improved bilateral relations.

Two prizes of £6,720 (€8,000) will be awarded for YA writing submitted in French and for an English translation. Each prize will be split equally between the creators of the book, including the writer, the translator and, where applicable, the illustrator.

YA writers Marie-Aude Murail and Timothée de Fombelle from France and Patrice Lawrence and Joseph Coelho from the UK are on this year’s judging panel, which is led by president of judges Joanne Harris.

Jean-Claude Mourlevat’s Jefferson, translated by Ros Schwartz (Anderson Press), is also featured on this year’s shortlist, alongside Par Le Feu (After The Fire) by Will Hill, translated by Anne Guitton (Casterman). The final two books vying for the prize are Elle McNicoll’s Les Etincelles Invisibles (A Kind of Spark), translated by Dominique Kugler (Ecole des loisirs), and Le Livre Bleu De Nebo (The Blue Book of Nebo) by Manon Steffan Ros, translated by Lise Garond (Actes Sud Jeunesse).

Haris said: "It was a very strong shortlist, with a pleasing variety of different media and approaches. The list combined some very challenging themes with some insightful comments on the joys and problems of adolescence."

Murail added: "When I am part of a jury, I ask myself two questions: one, do I like the novel I am reading? And two, would I want to recommend it? It was by answering yes to these two questions that my choice was made, without much hesitation."

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.

The winner will be announced at an event in London in early December, as part of the RSL’s 204th birthday celebrations.