Verse novels feature highly on UKLA shortlists

Verse novels by authors including Sarah Crossan and Jason Reynolds are shortlisted for this year’s UK Literary Association (UKLA) Awards, which are given annually to books that “enhance all aspects of literacy learning”.

In the 12-16 category, Crossan’s Moonrise (Bloomsbury), Reynolds’ Long Way Down (illustrated by Chris Priestly and published by Faber) and Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X (Egmont Electric Monkey) are all shortlisted alongside novels by Clémentine Beauvais, Will Hill and Lita Judge.

In the 7-11 category books by Katherine Rundell, Gill Lewis and Jakob Wegelius are shortlisted, while books by Marion Deuchars, Mini Grey and Morag Hood are in the running for the 3-6 prize.  

The UKLA awards are the only book prizes chosen by teachers and this year independent publishers feature strongly on the shortlists, as Andersen Press, Two Hoots, Laurence King, Thames & Hudson, Faber & Faber and Nosy Crow all have books in the running, said UKLA.

Deborah McLaren, director of Lovereading4kids, which sponsors the prize, said: “What a gorgeous selection of books on the UKLA’s 2019 shortlist. The UKLA’s selection committees and teacher judges do it again. A perfect selection of quality texts and engaging reads to inspire students. We continue to be proud to partner with the UKLA in helping engender that lifelong love of reading in children.”

Ten teachers will now form the judging panel to pick the winning titles, which will be announced on 12th July at a ceremony in Sheffield.

The shortlists in full

3-6

After the Fall written and illustrated by Dan Santat (Andersen Press)

The Last Wolf written and illustrated by Mini Grey (Jonathan Cape)

Bob's Blue Period written and illustrated by Marion Deuchars (Laurence King)

Stardust written by Jeanne Willis and illustrated by Briony May Smith (Nosy Crow)

The Big Book of the Blue written and illustrated by Yuval Zommer (Thames & Hudson)

I Am Bat written and illustrated by Morag Hood (Two Hoots)

7-11

The Explorer written by Katherine Rundell illustrated by Hannah Horn (Bloomsbury)

Running on Empty written by S. E. Durrant illustrated by Rob Biddulph (Nosy Crow)

Sky Dancer written by Gill Lewis (OUP)

The Wild Robot written and illustrated by Peter Brown (Piccadilly)

The Murderer's Ape written and illustrated by Jakob Wegelius. Translated by Peter Graves (Pushkin Press)

Kick written by Mitch Johnson (Usborne Publishing)

12-16

Moonrise written by Sarah Crossan (Bloomsbury)

The Poet X written by Elizabeth Acevedo (Egmont Electric Monkey)

Long Way Down written by Jason Reynolds and illustrated by Chris Priestly (Faber)

Piglettes written and translated by Clémentine Beauvais (Pushkin Press)

After the Fire written by Will Hill (Usborne Publishing)

Mary's Monster: Love, Madness and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein written and illustrated by Lita Judge (Wren & Rook)