Kirsten Spiteri wins the Novels for Youth Literary Contest 2024

The winning manuscript of the Novels for Youth Literary Contest 2024 was ‘KRISTALLI TAS-SILĠ’, submitted by Kirsten Spiteri, in a ceremony held at the National Library in Valletta on Friday, 10 January. The contest is organised by the National Book Council (NBC) in collaboration with Aġenzija Żgħażagħ.

The ceremony was hosted by author, lyricist and broadcaster Lon Kirkop, who was crowned winner of the Contest in 2020 with his manuscript for the novel Mitt Elf Isem Ieħor: HappyVeganGirlJules, which was subsequently published by Merlin Publishers.

Last year’s winner Leanne Ellul was invited to read an extract from her winning work – an in-progress manuscript titled be;n il-kmiem – after which she sat down for a Q&A session with Kirkop where she spoke about the importance of the Contest in fostering the creation of works in this particular sub-genre of literature. Ellul is a two-time winner of the Novels for Youth Prize, having also taken home the award in 2014 for Gramma.

The ceremony was also attended by the Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Innovation, and Research, Hon. Clifton Grima, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sport, Research, and Innovation, Hon. Keith Azzopardi Tanti.

Making his intervention at the event, Minister Grima lauded the collaborative effort by the National Book Council and Aġenzija Żgħażagħ to ensure that the Novels for Youth Contest remains a viable option for Maltese authors. “Having more books on our shelves which cater to this age group has a direct benefit – it means that they’re now more likely than ever to pick up a book they feel is relevant to them, and which could open them up to new horizons,” Grima said.

Reacting to the passage read by Leanne Ellul during her intervention – in which the viewpoint character makes observations and judgements of their neighbours while observing their residencies and cars – Grima said this offered us a perfect example of the immersive power of fiction. “We start to think: what else lies behind the gate we’ve just heard being described? What else can our imagination fill in?”

Grima also stressed how the Contest offers a crucial opportunity to help strengthen the use of the Maltese language. 

“We must work collectively to ensure that our language is not sidelined. This requires efforts to also strengthen Maltese. Therefore, we have introduced measures and initiatives in the National Education Strategy to re-emphasize the importance of the Maltese language as an essential subject. Additionally, work is ongoing in all schools through the Maltese Reading Recovery program,” the minister said.

Parliamentary Secretary Keith Azzopardi Tanti added that the participants in the Contest engage in nothing short of “activism”, by doing their part to ensure that Maltese literary works are presented in a way that appeals to youth readers.

“This initiative reflects our commitment to empower young people through the power of literature. By fostering a love for reading and supporting Maltese authors, we are not only preserving our unique language but also inspiring the next generation to explore new horizons, dream without limits, and reach their full potential,” Azzopardi Tanti said.

Spiteri received a trophy, a certificate, and a monetary prize of €1,000. Additionally, he was granted a €3,000 subsidy to support the publication of his novel, contingent upon signing a contract with his chosen publisher.

The organisers took the opportunity to extend their gratitude to this year’s adjudication board, which consisted of Josianne Block, Matthew Schembri and Glen Calleja. The winning manuscript was selected from a pool of three submissions, each of which was evaluated on the basis of a set criteria, which included plot and character development, originality, language, and overall quality.

During the ceremony, the NBC and Aġenzija Żgħażagħ officially confirmed the extension of their collaboration for the 2025 edition of the contest. The Contest will be open to submissions from 21 January to 5 September 2025 (noon).

Application forms, competition criteria, and guidelines will be available on the NBC and Aġenzija Żgħażagħ websites starting from the submission opening date.