The winners of this year's Jhalak Prize were announced on Thursday 26 May 2022; they are graphic novelist, Sabba Khan, winner of the Jhalak Prize and children’s author, Maisie Chan, winner of the Jhalak Children’s & Young Adult Prize.
Sabba Khan won the Jhalak Prize for her ‘impeccable’ and ‘striking’ graphic debut novel The Roles We Play (Myriad), which was praised by the judges as a "powerful, moving and thought-provoking story which shimmers with hard-earned wisdom and wonder". It is the first time a graphic novel has won the Prize. Sabba Khan is also a designer and architect, and co-director of Khan Bonshek, an architectural practice set up by her and her partner in Stratford, London, where both are completing the final stages of their self-build home. Sabba was supported in her writing of the novel by Jerwood Arts and an extract from The Roles We Play was shortlisted for the Myriad First Graphic Novel Award.
Maisie Chan, based in Glasgow, won the Jhalak Children’s and Young Adult Prize for her "warm and funny" children’s novel Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths (Piccadilly Press). Already shortlisted for the Blue Peter Awards 2022 and chosen as the Scottish Book Trust’s Book of the Month in July 2021, the novel was praised by the judges for "the warm-heartedness, humour and nuanced way it approaches the challenges of being a child negotiating multiple identities." Both winners are published by small independent publishers, Myriad & Piccadilly Press, recognising the remarkable success of the independent publishing sector.
The Jhalak Prize 2022 judges were authors Mary Jean Chan, Chimene Suleyman and Stephen Thompson. The judges for the Jhalak Children’s and Young Adult Prize 2022 were authors Sufiya Ahmed, Nii Ayikwei Parkes and Patrice Lawrence. Previous winners include Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, Patrice Lawrence, Johny Pitts, Guy Gunaratne, Reni Eddo-Lodge and Jacob Ross.
We are excited to welcome the winners to the London Library with two year's complimentary membership, alongside the short listed authors who will also receive a year's membership.
We are delighted to invite all London Library members to drinks on Thursday 16 June starting at 6.30pm in the Reading Room. This event is a chance to meet other members as well as Library staff in the Reading Room’s uniquely atmospheric surroundings. We hope you will join us for a drink and we look forward to welcoming you to this special evening at the Library.
Booking is essential and places are limited.
Please note that this event is for members only and by invitation.
The Jhalak Prize was established in 2016 to celebrate books by British and British resident writers of colour and the Jhalak Children’s & YA Prize was founded in 2020. We are delighted to be partnering with the Jhalak Prize to offer shortlisted and winning authors complimentary London Library membership with full access to the Library’s collection of around one million books and to its extensive online resources.
The shortlisted works for the Jhalak Prize 2022 have been announced. They are:
Consumed, Arifa Akbar (Sceptre)
Somebody Loves You, Mona Arshi (And Other Stories)
Like a Tree, Walking, Vahni Capildeo (Carcanet)
Keeping the House, Tice Cin (And Other Stories)
The Roles We Play, Sabba Khan (Myriad)
Things I Have Withheld, Kei Miller (Canongate Books)
The shortlist for the Children's & YA category has also been shared. It is:
Ace of Spades, Faridah Àbíkí-Íyímídé (Usborne)
We're Going to Find the Monster, Malorie Blackman & Dapo Adeola (Puffin)
The Musical Truth: A Musical History of Modern Black Britain in 28 Songs, Jeffrey Boakye, illustrated Ngadi Smart, (Faber & Faber)
Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths, Maisie Chan (Piccadilly Press)
The Sound of Everything, Rebecca Henry (Everything With Words)
The Crossing, Manjeet Mann (Penguin Random House Children’s)
We are hosting a celebration of the nominated authors on Wednesday 11 May which will feature readings by the shortlisted authors. Tickets are available here.
For the next three years, the shortlisted authors for the Jhalak Prize and the new Jhalak Children’s & YA Prize will receive a complimentary one-year membership and the winning authors of both prizes will receive a complimentary two-year membership of The London Library.
Following a decision by the Board of Trustees we shall be removing the Sackler name from our small reading room currently known as The Sackler Study. This room will now be referred to as The Study. We shall be making changes to our signage and communications materials over the coming weeks.
