We are thrilled to announce the longlist for our Best Novel Opening for Children or Young Adults 2021 competition. With hundreds of exceptional entries to choose from it’s been incredibly difficult to whittle down the stories to just twenty two. Thank you to our amazing reading team.
Everyone who entered is an excellent writer. Whether your story is on the longlist or not, we offer you our congratulations. We’ve been so impressed with the standard we’ve seen. Keep writing and sending your manuscripts out into the world. Perseverance is key to success in publishing.
Best Novel Opening for Children or Young Adults 2021
Longlist
Birds of a Kinder Climate
Caterina and the Time Catapult
Children Pie
Chimera Moon
City of Dark Ink
Lily Nymph and the Greatest Glasshouse
My Dog, Worthington
Oscar Looms is Looking
Out of Time
Reasons to Hate Me
Sage’s Song
Sinner Selves − Dark Side of the Moon
Solomon Brown from Hero Town
Swordfern
The Art of Wrestling Tigers
The Deported
The Djinns of Djollywood
The Mephisto Twins
The Others
The Riddle of Stanbridge Hall
When We Return
Where Are You Really From?
Our well-respected judge, literary agent Gill McLay, will now read the longlisted entries and decide the top 10 stories, including an overall winner. Results will be published on 21st March.
If you’re one of our longlistees, feel free to shout from the rooftops but please don’t identify the title of your story on social media while judging is still taking place. Best of luck!
Thank you all for sharing your wonderful stories with us.