First awarded in March 2017, the Jhalak Prize and its new sister award Jhalak Children’s & YA Prize founded in 2020, seek to celebrate books by British/British resident BAME writers.
The prizes are unique in that they accept entries published in the UK by writers of colour. These include (and not limited to) fiction, non-fiction, short stories, graphic novels, poetry and all other genres. The Jhalak Children’s and YA Prize accepts books for children, teens and young adults including picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, poetry, non-fiction, and all other genres by writers of colour and aimed at young readers. The prizes are also open to self-published writers.
The Jhalak Prize awards £1000 to each winner along with a unique work of art created by artists chosen for the annual Jhalak Art Residency. The two prizes exist to support and celebrate writers of colour in Britain.
| Winner 2023: When Our Worlds Collided, Danielle Jawando (Simon & Schuster,pp368, £7.99 ISBN: 978-1471178795) When three teenagers from very different walks of life witness a stabbing, they are unexpectedly brought together. What follows flips their worlds upside down and makes them question the deep-rooted prejudice and racism that exists within the police, the media, and the rest of society. A book that deals with difficult themes in an empowering way by showing the value of resilience, determination and found family when faced with adversity. It is utterly readable, topically relevant and deeply compelling. It is also important for representing UK culture and experience rather than that of the USA |  |
2023 Shortlist
- In Our Hands, Lucy Farfort (Tate)
- When Our Worlds Collided, Danielle Jawando (Simon & Schuster)
- Mia And The Lightcasters, Janelle McCurdy, ill. Ana Latese (Faber)
- Ellie Pillai Is Brown, Christine Pillainayagam (Faber)
- Rebel Skies, Ann Sei Lin (Walker)
- Dadaji’s Paintbrush, Rashmi Sirdeshpande, ill. Ruchi Mhasane (Andersen)
