Each year, the Historical Association runs ‘Young Quills’, a competition for published historical fiction for children and young adults (14+). The Young Quills books for each year must be published for the first time in English in the year preceding the competition – so 2022 for this year’s selection. 

Our aim is to seek out books which:

• Are a ‘good read’, engaging the imagination of the young reader
• Have good historical content and factual information
• Have history as a component of the story, not just a convenient backdrop or setting
• Inspire young readers to find out more about that historical period or people.

Our judges are all adults, so to get the opinions of young readers, copies of the books were sent out to a number of schools, where the teachers have kindly volunteered to recruit pupils to read and review them and always receive a magnificent total of reviews, which guide the shortlisting process. A selection of the reviews will be added to our website in the next few weeks.

We are pleased to announce the shortlist for The Young Quills for 2023 (read a selection of reviews via the title links): 

For young readers ages 7–11

The Baker by the Sea, by Paula White, Templar Books
Bruno and Frida, by Tony Bradman, Barrington Stoke
Out of the Rubble, by Sally Nicholls, Oxford
The Accidental Stowaway, by Judith Eagle, Faber 

For intermediate readers 11 to 13 years

The Battle of Cable Street, by Tanya Landman, Barrington Stoke
Journey Back to Freedom, by Catherine Johnson, Barrington Stoke
Nisha’s War, by Dan Smith, Chicken House
When the War Came Home, by Lesley Parr, Bloomsbury
Resist: One Girl’s Fight Back Against the Nazis, by Tom Palmer, Barrington Stoke
Rosie Raja: Churchill’s Spy, by Sufiya Ahmed, Bloomsbury
Please Write Soon, by Michael Rosen, Scholastic 

Young adult – ages 14 years +

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow, by Zoulfa Katouh, Bloomsbury
Baby Love, by Jacqueline Wilson, Penguin
Destination Unknown, by Bill Konigsberg, Scholastic
The Secrets Act, by Alison Weatherby, Chicken House 

Every few years we review the age ranges for the Short Quills to meet the needs of young readers and the choice of books available to them, this year we have slightly amended the younger categories. 

2023 Winners

We are delighted to announce that this year's winners are:

Bruno and Frida, by Tony Bradman, Barrington Stoke
Resist, by Tom Palmer, Barrington Stoke
Destination Unknown, by Bill Konigsberg, Scholastic

Highly commended:

The Accidental Stowaway, by Judith Eagle, Faber
Nisha’s War, by Dan Smith, Chicken House
When the War Came Home, by Lesley Parr, Bloomsbury
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow, by Zoulfa Katouh, Bloomsbury

See the full story here