ALCS announces shortlist for the UK's sole award for creative educational writing

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Authors' Licensing & Collecting Society

23 Jan, 2023, 14:00 GMT

Fresh takes on history and positive perspectives for now

LONDON, Jan. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Authors' Licensing & Collecting Society (ALCS) and the Society of Authors (SoA) and are delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2022 ALCS Educational Writers' Award, the UK's only award for educational writing that stimulates and enhances the learning experience.

This image opens in the lightbox — Musical Truth: A Musical Journey Through Modern Black Britain, Jeffrey Boakye

The six outstanding shortlisted books for readers aged 11–18 years get young people to think about Black British history through music; provide a sensitive guide to all matters trans & non-binary; illuminate the history of the Holocaust; provide a wild ride through the history of drag; guide them positively through the challenges of growing up; and present a rich, first-hand history of the Windrush generation.

MUSICAL TRUTH
A Musical Journey Through Modern Black Britain
Author: Jeffrey Boakye
Illustrator: Ngadi Smart
Publisher: Faber

"Music can carry the stories of history like a message in a bottle". Inviting us to think about history with new ears, this illustrated playlist in a book tracks some of the seminal moments in modern British history through the emotional impact of 28 songs and the artists who performed them; from 'London is the Place for Me' by Lord Kitchener to 'Little Baby Swastikka' by Skunk Anansie and 'Black and Ready' by Jords.

Our judges say: "A captivating history which ties together music, black history, family, growing up, politics and inequality with panache, humour, and at times brutal honesty. It's an extraordinary read which made our hearts sing".

WHAT'S THE T?
Author: Juno Dawson
Illustrator: Soofiya
Publisher: Wren & Rook

From identity and expression to coming out and dating, this no-nonsense, illustrated guide to all things trans and/or non-binary aims to guide young people through the modern transgender experience, and help them live their best life, true to who THEY are.

Our judges say: "Written with sensitivity, depth and humour, this truly comprehensive guide is witty and funny without being flippant, and practical without being dull. It is also a powerful book in offering young people and all who work to make their lives happier a frank opportunity to share their journeys with empathy, and with a powerful charge of optimism and lived experience".

A REBEL IN AUSCHWITZ
The True Story of the Resistance Hero Who Fought the Nazis From Inside the Camp
Author: Jack Fairweather
Publisher: Scholastic

This young reader's edition of Jack Fairweather's Costa Book of the Year, "The Volunteer" is the story of Witold Pilecki, a Polish underground operative who accepted a mission to uncover the fate of thousands interned in Auschwitz, report on Nazi crimes there, and stage an uprising.

Our judges said: "This remarkably told story reveals a whole new aspect of the notorious Auschwitz work camp, describing in stark and brutal details how the camp evolved into the most infamous Nazi death camp".

THE ART OF DRAG
Author: Jake Hall
Illustrators: Sofie Birkin, Helen Li & Jasyot Singh Hans
Publisher: Nobrow

"Lights, Glamour, Action!". From the earliest lip-syncs to RuPaul's "Drag Race" and beyond, take a wild ride through the history of drag with this vibrantly illustrated guide to the past, present and future of this ancient art form.

Our judges said: "From Ancient Greece to the present day, this flamboyantly but appropriately illustrated book charts the rich and colourful history of drag, providing a definitive guide to how this art from has evolved, and the fabulous characters who helped shape it".

SILENCE IS NOT AN OPTION
You Can Impact the World for Change
Author: Stuart Lawrence
Designer: Richard Smith
Publisher: Scholastic

Stuart Lawrence draws on his own experience, including the murder of his older brother Stephen in 1993, to highlight the tools that have helped him live positively. These words and thoughts have kept him moving forwards when times have been tough, and this collection encourages young people to harness the good in themselves to create change.

Our judges said: "The fact that Stuart Lawrence has been able to use the experience of his brother's brutal murder to forge such a positive approach to life is remarkable. His eloquent book offers young people a thoughtful guide to growing up".

THE PLACE FOR ME
Stories About the Windrush Generation
Authors: KN Chimbiri, Kevin George, Salena Godden, Judy Hepburn, Ashley Hickson-Lovence, Jermain Jackman, Kirsty Latoya, Katy Massey, EL Norry & Quincy the Comedian
Illustrator & Designer: Joelle Avellino & Richard Smith
Publisher: Scholastic

"Home ain't jus' where you live. Home is your heart an' yer history". Richly illustrated with documentary photographs and published in association with the Black Cultural Archives, a collection of 12 stories of sacrifice and bravery inspired by first-hand accounts of the Windrush generation, which helps bring the experience of Black British people into focus.

Our judges said: "With a moving Foreword by Dame Floella Benjamin, this beautifully designed book tells the history of Windrush generation people with clarity and compassion. Drawing on an impressive depth of research from The Black Cultural Archives, it is an invaluable resource which encourages young people to consider the power of their own voices".

Now in its fifteenth year, the Educational Writers' Award was established in 2008 by ALCS and the Society of Authors to celebrate educational writing that inspires creativity, encourages students to read widely and build their understanding of a subject beyond the requirements of exam specifications.

The 2022 award focuses on books for 11–18-year-olds, published in 2020 and 2021. This year's judges are children's author Sita Brahmachari, secondary school teacher Sean Chuhan, and school librarian Melissa Craig. Further information about each judge appears below.

The winner of the 2022 ALCS Educational Writers' Award will be announced at a reception at Goldsmiths' Centre in London on Wednesday 22^nd February 2023. The winning author and illustrator/designer will share a cheque for £2,000.

#ALCSAwards #EWA22

EDITOR'S NOTES

Authors' Licensing & Collecting Society (ALCS)

ALCS is a not-for-profit organisation started by writers for the benefit of all types of writers. Owned by its members, ALCS collects money due for secondary uses of writers' work. It is designed to support authors and their creativity; ensure they receive fair payment and see their rights are respected. It promotes and teaches the principles of copyright and campaigns for a fair deal. It represents over 118,000 members, and since 1977 has paid over £600million to writers.
alcs.co.uk

Society of Authors (SoA)

The Society of Authors is the UK trade union for all types of writers, illustrators and literary translators, at all stages of their careers. They have more than 11,500 members and have been advising individuals and speaking out for the profession for more than a century. In 2021, they awarded over £900,000 in grants and prizes (for fiction, non-fiction, poetry and translation). In all the Society of Authors administers twenty-one prizes, including the ALCS Educational Writers' Award and the Sunday Times Charlotte Aitken Young Writer of the Year Award.
societyofauthors.org

About the Judges

Sita Brahmachari is an internationally award-winning author of numerous novels, short stories and plays for children and young adults. She has been Writer in Residence for Book Trust, and is currently resident writer at Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants.

Sean Chuhan has been teaching science in the northeast since 2007, working in schools across the region. He is currently Assistant Head of 6^th Form at Nunthorpe Academy in Middlesborough, and a firm believer that books inspire students to explore and expand their horizons.

Melissa Craig was born into a house full of books and was a student librarian at school. Today she is a secondary school librarian, and as well as her traditional role of inspiring students to read, she believes that the librarians' role is also to promote and develop information literacy skills.