The judging panel for the inaugural Entente Littéraire Prize (Prix de l’Entente Littéraire), a new UK-France literary prize for writers of young adult literature, has revealed its shortlist.

Announced in September 2023 by Her Majesty The Queen and Madame Brigitte Macron during the King and Queen’s State Visit to France, the Entente Littéraire Prize (Prix de l’Entente Littéraire) is inspired by the Entente Cordiale, the 1904 agreement between the UK and French governments that improved bilateral relations. The prize looks to encourage and celebrate the joy of reading and shared literary experiences between France and the UK.

The judging panel – acclaimed YA writers Marie-Aude Murail and Timothée de Fombelle from France and Patrice Lawrence and Joseph Coelho from the UK, with bilingual president of judges Joanne Harris – have selected the following shortlist:

Thieves, Lucie Bryon, translated by Lucie Bryon (Flying Eye Books)
Men Don’t Cry, Faïza Guène, translated by Sarah Ardizzone (Cassava Republic Press)
Jefferson, Jean-Claude Mourlevat, translated by Ros Schwartz (Anderson Press)
Par Le Feu (After The Fire), Will Hill, translated by Anne Guitton (Casterman)
Les Etincelles Invisibles (A Kind of Spark), Elle McNicoll, translated by Dominique Kugler (Ecole des loisirs)
Le Livre Bleu De Nebo (The Blue Book of Nebo), Manon Steffan Ros, translated by Lise Garond (Actes Sud Jeunesse)

 

‘It was a very strong shortlist, with a pleasing variety of different media and approaches,’ says Joanne Harris. ‘The list combined some very challenging themes with some insightful comments on the joys and problems of adolescence’.

 

French judge Timothée de Fombelle says: ‘For me, literature for teenagers has long been about discovery, crossing boundaries, and exploring the unknown. Participating in the Entente Littéraire Prize suddenly became an observation post, allowing me to immerse myself in the creation of the United- Kingdom and the miracles of translation. I loved this journey.’

 

Marie-Aude Murail adds: ‘When I am part of a jury, I ask myself two questions: one, do I like the novel I am reading? And two, would I want to recommend it? It was by answering yes to these two questions that my choice was made, without much hesitation.’

 

The UK judges offered the following comments on their three shortlisted books:

Thieves: ‘A delightful, tender and funny romance between two flawed, but lovable teenagers. The artwork is soft and beautiful; the tone uplifting and upbeat. I loved it’ – Joanne Harris
Thieves: ‘A love story with a melancholic edge that perfectly captures, in words and illustrations, teenage friendships, anxieties and yearning’ – Patrice Lawrence
Thieves: ‘An immediately relatable tale of teen hood, friends, relationships, parties and… theft. These are real teens with complex and complicated personalities navigating an emotional landscape that has you racing through cover to cover. The illustrations are beautiful and engaging, it was a world I was delighted to inhabit’ – Joseph Coelho

 

Men Don’t Cry: ‘A funny, wry coming-of age story, this is an insightful exploration of family and cultural identity through the eyes of a young French-Algerian man seeking to form ties with his estranged sister’ – Joanne Harris
Men Don’t Cry: ‘As the first in my family to be born in the UK, I adored this book. The characterisation, the family dynamics and the incredibly funny writing about belonging and not belonging to a country was spot on’ – Patrice Lawrence
Men Don’t Cry: ‘This book does many things brilliantly it dives into prejudice, toxic masculinity, tradition and racism, but is also a nuanced look at identity and culture and how we could all benefit from being more open, more understanding and respectful of the life and wishes of the individual’ – Joseph Coelho

 

Jefferson: ‘A quirky, but ultimately very topical novel, exploring themes of power, cruelty, exploitation and what makes us human, wrapped up in a deceptively comfortable metaphor’ – Joanne Harris
Jefferson: ‘A police procedural that starts in a world of human-like animals and ends up in a world of beast-like humans. An original, funny, poignant story enclosing a deeply uncomfortable truth’ – Patrice Lawrence
Jefferson: ‘A totally surprising and delightful murder mystery but with anthropomorphised animals! it is part Ruth Rendell, part Wind in the Willows, cleverly subverting these genres to tell a tale of prejudice and racism through the lens of animal cruelty and human arrogance’ – Joseph Coelho

 

For more information:

Institut Français website

Royal Society of Literature website

 

For press enquiries, contact:

Institut français du Royaume-Uni:
Natacha Antolini: 020 7871 3520 | natacha.antolini@institut-francais.org.uk

Royal Society of Literature:
Catherine Riley: 020 7845 4679 | catherine.riley@rsliterature.org

Edinburgh