YA Book Prize 2024 – Winner Announced!

25 August, 2024

Cover shot of Gwen & Art are NOT in Love, winner of the YA Book Prize 2024Congratulations to Lex Croucher whose rollicking historical romance Gwen & Art are NOT in Love (Bloomsbury YA) was crowned the winner of this year’s YA Book Prize at a ceremony held at the Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF) on 22nd August.

Set in an Arthurian-inspired world, Gwen & Art are NOT in Love is the story of Gwen, the quick-witted Princess of England, and Arthur, future lord and general gadabout. Betrothed since birth, the only thing they can agree on is that they hate each other. But when their best-kept secrets are at risk of exploding into the open, they are forced into a reluctant alliance. This riotous adventure about accepting yourself and the importance of friendship, Gwen & Art are NOT in Love is Lex Croucher’s first YA novel. Earlier this year, it won the Books Are My Bag Readers Award for YA fiction and was also shortlisted for the 2023 Café Nero Children’s Fiction Award.

The YA Book Prize was launched in 2014 by The Bookseller to celebrate great fiction for teenagers and young adults written by authors from the UK and Ireland. The winner is selected by a panel of expert and teenage judges who are asked to pick the book they believe is the best written and that they would be most likely to share with young adults.

Commenting on this year’s winner, judge and former YA Book Prize winner Alice Oseman said: ‘With a crew of flawed protagonists who each traverse huge emotional journeys, writing that fluctuates between hilarious witticisms and painfully relatable revelations, and a story that transports you to a magical Arthurian realm and doesn’t let you go – Gwen & Art Are Not In Love is a masterclass in teen romantic comedy.’

Rachel Fox, programme director for the EIBF’s children’s and schools programme said: ‘This is such a gem of a book! I loved every minute in Lex’s artfully crafted Arthurian world, which champions individuality, wit, wisdom and a touch of drama. I think it’s a fantastic winner and I can’t wait for more readers to meet Gwen, Art and the others!’

See the full shortlist for the YA Book Prize 2024 here.