About the Readings Young Adult Book Prize

The Readings Young Adult Book Prize was established in 2016 and recognises exciting emerging voices in Australian young adult literature. First and second published works of young adult fiction and memoir are eligible. $3000 in prize money is awarded to the best new contribution to Australian young adult literature.

Previous winners of the Readings Young Adult Book Prize include Zana Fraillon (2017), Erin Gough (2018), Eleni Hale (2019) and Lisa Fuller (2020).

The Readings Young Adult Book Prize in 2021

Every year, a shortlist of six titles is selected by a revolving panel of Readings staff and one Guest judge. This year’s Readings panel includes Xiao-Xiao Kingham (Readings Kids), Cindy Morris (Readings Kids), Bianca Looney (Readings Kids) and Kealy Siryj (Readings Kids). We are thrilled that Erin Gough has agreed to be the Guest Judge for this year’s prize. Erin is a fiction writer whose stories have been published in a number of journals and anthologies, including Best Australian Stories, Griffith Review and The Age. Her second novel, Amelia Westlake won the 2018 Readings YA Prize, as well as the Ethel Turner Prize at the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. It was also shortlisted in the Queensland Literary Awards, the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, the Indie Book Awards, the ABIAs and the Gold Inky. You can find out more about Erin here: http://www.eringough.com

The 2021 shortlist will be announced in late May
, with the winner to be revealed in late July.

Eligibility Guidelines for 2021

• The Readings Young Adult Book Prize is open to published works of young adult memoir and fiction.
• Young adult fiction may a novel, a novella, a verse novel or a collection of short stories by a single author.
• Young adult memoir may be original, or a young reader’s edition of an adult memoir.
• The author must be an Australian citizen or hold permanent residency at the time of entry.
• The book must be the author’s first or second published work of young adult fiction only. The author may have published books in other areas.
• Second or subsequent books in a series will not be considered.
• Co-authored works will only be considered if all contributing authors fit our guidelines.
• Books published only in e-book form are not eligible to be entered.
• Self-published works are not eligible to be entered.
• The work must be published or distributed in Australia through an Australian publisher or the Australian publishing wing of an international publisher as recognised by Readings. Please note that these categories of publisher do not include digital or print-on-demand printers or publishers based in Australia.
• Entries must be published in English.
• Authors must be living at the date of publication.
• Authors who win the Readings Prize for Young Adult Fiction will no longer be eligible for this Prize in future years.
• To be eligible for the 2021 Prize, books must have been first published between 23 April 2020 and 26 April 2021.
• Authors who are employed by Readings during the judging period for each year are not eligible for the Prize. For the 2021 Prize round, this period is from Thursday 23 April 2020, through to 26 April 2021.

Entry Guidelines for 2021

There is no process for entering the Prize. The judging panel, comprised of experienced Readings’ staff, will decide on eligible titles and invite respective publishers to submit no more than three reading copies of the nominated book for Prize consideration throughout the eligibility period. Further copies may be requested if the book is shortlisted.

Enquiries

Enquiries should be directed to the Prize Manager Gab Williams at Gab.williams@readings.com.au.

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