We are thrilled to share that Danielle Jawando scooped the Jhalak Children’s and Young Adult Prize for her coming of age story When Our Worlds Collided (Simon & Schuster Children’s). The prizes recognise the best writing by British or British-resident writers of colour.
Praised as a “powerful and devastating story”, Jawando’s novel is about chance encounters, injustice and how the choices that we make can completely change our future. When Our Worlds Collided was commended by the judges for being a book “that speaks to many young people today that have been vilified or who go unheard”.
Sunny Singh, prize director, said: “I am grateful to the Jhalak Prize judges who brought passion, rigour and expertise to this year’s judging and sifted through submissions of the highest quality. After much deliberation and heartache, they have enthusiastically and unanimously picked books that are timely and timeless, courageous as well as meticulously crafted.
Danielle Jawando’s When Our Worlds Collided is compelling young adult novel that is urgent, necessary and intensely compassionate. These are books to be read, read again and cherished. These are also books that demand to be pushed into every readers’ hands.”
The judges for the Jhalak Children’s and Young Adult Prize were author and film-maker Yaba Badoe, children’s author Maisie Chan and writer Irfan Master.
Congratulations Danielle! We are so proud!
