Annual Book Award aims to show young people's perspective

Annual book award aims to show young people's perspective

Adults frequently forget just what it is like to be a child – yet we
need to retain that perspective if we are to support young people
effectively as they grow up, according to children's mental health
charity YoungMinds.

That is the aim behind the annual YoungMinds Book Award, for which the
2007 shortlist has just been announced. The award recognises writers
who enable adults to see the world through young people's eyes,
encouraging greater understanding of the tensions and difficulties
which many encounter.

This year's shortlisted books are:

• Unimagined – Imran Ahmad (Aurum Press) – the account of a BritishMuslim boy growing up in 60s and 70s Britain, encountering racism,cars and girls, while seeking to find his religious identity
  

• A Piece of Cake – Cupcake Brown (Transworld) – the story of how11-year-old Cupcake went from beloved daughter to abused foster child to crack addict following the death of her mother
  

• Prisoner of Tehran – Marina Nemat (John Murray) – an account of childhood interrupted in revolutionary Iran, and one woman's struggle for life and liberty
  

•  Still Here with Me - Suzanne Sjoqvist (Jessica Kingsley) – the first-hand experiences of children and young people who have lost a parent
  

• The Dead of Summer – Camilla Way (Harper Collins) – a novel which follows 13-year-old Anita, living in a new neighbourhood after her mother's death, as a long hot summer leads to an unsettling crime
  

• The Book Thief – Markus Zusak (Transworld) – a novel set in Nazi Germany and narrated by Death, telling the story of nine-year-old book thief Liesel whose parents have been taken to a concentration camp
  

The shortlist is chosen by volunteer readers from the public. The award judges will now read the six shortlisted books to choose a winner of the £3,000 prize, which will be presented at a gala ceremony in central London on 15 November by award sponsor Philip Pullman.

This year's judges are Will Self, author and broadcaster; Anjula Mutanda, psychologist and broadcaster; Stef Penney, award winning novelist; Henry Bonsu, journalist and broadcaster; Shelley Jofre, Panorama journalist; Dawn Rees, head of the National Children's Mental Health Support Service; and Mary Shooter, representing YoungMinds.

Five of the books on the 2007 shortlist are by debut authors: only Markus Zusak, shortlisted for The Book Thief, has a track record with four previous books for young adults. Three of the shortlisted books are autobiographical accounts of growing up and two are novels, while the sixth – Still Here with Me – captures the voices of bereaved children and teenagers.

'The YoungMinds Book Award draws attention to the work of writers who
have a particular insight into the thoughts and feelings of young people under stress of one kind or another,' said Philip Pullman. 'In giving the award, YoungMinds is keen to recognise the work of the imagination in helping us understand the emotional turmoil that often marks our progress through this stage of life. The award recognises and thanks authors whose work throws light on this dark time in some young people's lives.'

'What is special about the authors on the award shortlist is that they have not lost their child's view of the world,' said Barbara Herts, YoungMinds chief executive. 'We hope that reading their books will give adults greater awareness and empathy for young people, particularly those who are facing mental or emotional problems.'

Ends.

Notes for editors:
1. The annual YoungMinds Book Award started in 2003 and is given to a
work of literature (not academic or for children) which best portrays
something of the unique subtlety of a child's experience, throwing
fresh light on the ways a child takes in and makes sense of the world
he or she is growing into. Since 2005 the award has been sponsored by
the generosity of author Philip Pullman. Last year's award winner was
Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala.

2. YoungMinds is the UK's leading children's mental health charity
committed to improving the mental health and emotional wellbeing of
children and young people by ensuring mental health is placed firmly
on the public and political agenda.
YoungMinds provides a variety of services for children, young people,
parents and professionals including a free telephone helpline for any
adult concerned about the mental or emotional well-being of a child or
young person, and a range of publications on areas surrounding mental
health such as depression, self-harm and sexual abuse. The YoungMinds
consultancy and training service supports the development of child and
adolescent mental health services with training courses aimed at
frontline professionals. For further information visit
www.youngminds.org.uk