The Monstrous Child shortlisted for YA Book Prize

Francesca’s first YA novel The Monstrous Child has been shortlisted for the prestigious YA Book Prize. The winner will be announced at a special event at Hay Festival on 1st June.

Other books on the shortlist are:

Malorie Blackman’s Chasing the Stars

Crongton Knights by Alex Wheatle

The Call by Peadar O’Guilin

The Graces by Laure Eve

Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield

How not to Disappear by Clare Furniss

Riverkeep by Martin Stewart

Orangeboy by Patrice Lawrence

Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard

The YA Book Prize Shortlist

The prize, which was set up by The Bookseller magazine, is run in association with Hay Festival and World Book Day. It’s the first prize in the UK and Ireland to specifically focus on literature for a YA audience.

You can find out more in The Bookseller article or on the Foyles website.

Fabulous Francesca Facts

"Families are great sources of comedy because they are about people trapped together. Only the parents chose to be there and the rest of you are stuck with these people that you might not necessarily like"

"Nobody feels emotions like children and with Henry, the war is constant and total. Anyone who has lived in a family has these shared experiences - the car journey from hell, nits or vomiting"

"I’ve never met a child who doesn’t love hearing stories. It’s a good way of introducing them to books and it’s a great way of getting them to understand stories that they might not be able to read themselves"

"We all love stories, it all helps making sense of the world"

"Horrid Henry speaks to the impish, rebellious child in all of us"

"My first book was called Papa Forgot and was published in 1993"

"I’ve written over fifty books"

"My birthday is 23rd February"

"I’m a bit scared of the dark"

"My hobbies are reading, cooking and going to the theatre"

"My favourite author is Anthony Trollope"

"My most disliked food is beetroot"

"My favourite colour is aquamarine"

"My favourite food is scallops"