For the second year in a row, the Bookseller’s YA Book Prize has been won by an Irish author. Sarah Crossan’s free verse novel One was today announced as the 2016 winner. Among the runners-up on the shortlist was Asking For It by Louise O’Neill, who won the inaugural prize in 2015.
One chronicles the story of Grace and Tippi, conjoined twins who, aged 16, have to go to school for the first time and negotiate a world of prejudice, friendship, first love and gossip.
It is the second major award for Crossan in just over a week. Last week, the author won the 26th CBI Book of the Year Award and the Children’s Choice award.
The judges, comprising eight industry and media judges and four teenagers, were unanimous in their decision that One should be this year’s winner. Writer and judge Bim Adewunmi told the Bookseller she “fell in love” with the book. “Tippi and Grace are a great addition to the pantheon of great literary sisters, and the way Crossan explores their rare (physical) bond only makes them more so,” she said. “I cried on the train at the end and I will not soon forget either of these girls.”
Crossan was awarded the £2,000 prize at a ceremony at the Hay Festival, hosted by author Malorie Blackman.
At the Hay ceremony, The Bookseller also gave a special achievement award to Melvin Burgess, whose novel Junk, one of the first YA novels by a British author, was published 20 years ago.
