The 2021 prize is open to an English language YA fiction title first published in print form in the UK or Ireland between 1st January 2020 and 31st December 2020. The author must have been living in the UK or Ireland for at least six months prior to publication.
Submissions are only accepted from publishing houses.
Books with more than one author are eligible as long as all authors are resident in the UK or Ireland.
All books entered must have a registered ISBN number or equivalent.
Self-published titles, non-fiction, anthologies and graphic novels are not eligible. Books published as part of a series are eligible but must work as a standalone title.
All books must be first published in either hardback or paperback in 2020. Books published in paperback in 2020 that were previously published in hardback in 2019 or earlier are not eligible.
Publishers of shortlisted books agree to make a contribution of £1,750 towards the general promotion of winning and shortlisted books. For shortlisted publishers with fewer than 10 employees the contribution will be reduced to £1,200.
Shortlisted publishers and authors agree to make themselves available for promotional activity around key points such as announcements of shortlisted and winning books. The publisher also agrees to send 20 more print copies of the shortlisted title to The Bookseller to be distributed to prize judges, shadowing schools and competition winners.
If publishers enter online but do not send a PDF (or fail to make alternative arrangements to send the book to The Bookseller team), that title will be considered ineligible.
Publishers can enter no more than four titles per imprint or publishing house.
If you have any further enquiries, please email:
caroline.carpenter@thebookseller.com.
The YA Book Prize is run by The Bookseller, Stage House, 47 Bermondsey St, Bermondsey, London SE1 3XT.
