Sarawakian wins major children’s book award in UK
Published on: Friday, March 24, 2023
By:
FMT, Terence Toh
Sarawakian author Nadia Mikail says she was inspired to write her acclaimed novel from her experiences with the pandemic. (Myra Aishah pic)
PETALING JAYA: A Malaysian author’s debut novel has won a prestigious children’s book award in the UK.
‘The Cats We Meet Along The Way’, an apocalyptic adventure by Kuching-born Nadia Mikail, was named the Overall Winner of the 2023 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. It was also proclaimed Best Book in the older reader’s category.
ADVERTISEMENT “I think it hasn’t really sunk in,” said Nadia, 26, when contacted from London, where she is currently based. “It really feels like it’s been an unreal experience. I’m also having a little bit of a cold, so it definitely also feels like a fever dream … but it’s a great dream. It’s so, so wonderful.
“Obviously, this could not have been possible without Waterstones and Guppy Books. And I’m so grateful to them.”
Nadia picks up £5,000 (about RM27,156) for her wins.
Nadia’s Young Adult (YA) novel is the tale of 17-year-old Aisha, who embarks on a road trip across Malaysia with her family to track down her sister in the wake of the end of the world.
ADVERTISEMENT The book was published by Guppy Books in 2022, after it emerged triumphant in their 2020 Guppy YA Open Submissions Competition.
‘The Cats We Meet Along The Way’ was published by Guppy Press after winning their open submission call.
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According to Nadia, she was inspired to write her book from true experiences.
“I was away from my family when I started writing about an estranged family, but then the pandemic hit and I was trying to process feelings of fear and impending grief. So that inspired the apocalyptic part of the story I think. Heavy stuff,” said the law graduate of King’s College, London, who is now studying for her Solicitor’s Qualifying Examination (SQE).
Nadia’s work has previously been featured in local publications such as Fixi Novo’s KL Noir Magic (2021) and Maya Press’ Malaysian Millennial Voices (2021).
She said her writing influences are JRR Tolkien, Louisa May Alcott and Mary Oliver, as well as “a handful of incredible fanfiction writers”.
She is working on another story, about a “protagonist dealing with the aftermath of a hero’s journey”, although she admitted to running into a bit of a roadblock. “I think most writers can identify with that!” she quipped.
Nadia speaking during the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize award ceremony in London. (snsknene Instagram pic)
The author said she hoped that readers of “The Cats We Meet Along The Way” would be able to empathise with the characters of her novel, especially through difficult times.
“I wrote about love and family and loss and grief, and I hope readers can identify with these themes and celebrate the hope that’s in them, or feel a little less alone if they’re dealing with some of the sadder parts of life.
“I guess the main thing I was trying to say is that the only thing that matters in the end is the love and care we have for each other, and how the only way we can make it through this absurd and difficult existence is helping each other through it,” she said.
Established in 2005, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize aims to reward and champion new and emerging children’s writers, and is voted for by booksellers.
The awards consist of three categories: Illustrated Books, Books for Younger Readers and Books for Older Readers, as well as one overall winner.
“In a phenomenal debut, Nadia Mikail’s prose sparkles in the growing market for older readers. Booksellers were overwhelmed by the tenderness woven through each chapter; the moments of silence between the characters are as truthful and evocative as their conversations.
“Mikail has ultimately crafted a novel of hope, set against an eventful road trip, that encourages us to share stories and dreams,” Waterstone’s Head of Children’s Books Florentyna Martin said in a statement on Waterstones’ website.
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