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15th June 2010 I've been slow to update my site as there have been so many wonderful things on - like the Puffin party last night, celebrating 70 years of children's publishing. Plus others, such as the YMWA event last month. This organisation is determined to encourage the growth of new writing and reading amongst Muslim children and lots of young people rose to the occasion by submitting great stories! I bumped into Sarwat Chaddha, (he was at the Puffin party, too), and his new book The Dark Goddess is one I'm really looking forward to seeing. Devil's Kiss, his first book, is a rollicking read. I had a great time in Angus visiting two schools in Arbroath and Brechin and got to hang out with Moyra, Lyn, Lynette and some lovely teachers, librarians, pupils and authors: Kevin Brooks, Gillian Phillip and Rachel Ward. Many of whom gave enthusiastic feedback about the book even though it didn't win the Angus Book Award - ah, well! I also got to hear the wonderful, one and only, Morris Gleitzman, again; this time talking about his new book, Now, at Stratford Circus Theater and later watched the inimitable, Michael Rosen, interviewing the delightfully entertaining, Jackie Kay, about her book Red Dust Road. Both are well worth reading! As the award season draws to a close, I'm chuffed to say that Guantanamo Boy was nominated for no less than ten national and regional awards. Wow! It may not have won most of them, but there are still three to go and they're all happening in July, including the prestigious Branford Boase, which gives equal credit to the rarely acknowledged editors who make such an incredible difference to the books we love. My editor, Shannon Park, came up with the idea for the chapter of broken text in Guantanamo Boy. Devil's Kiss is also nominated. I'm looking forward to attending the Redbridge Book Award. Plus the We Read Award event. Each long and shortlisting has brought the book to a wider audience than would otherwise have been possible and I've been thrilled by the responses from teachers, judges, librarians and pupils who've taken the time to read, ponder, review and debate the book. As the saying goes: 'One heart, one mind at a time!' Thank you everyone, and that includes the other authors who I've enjoyed chatting to endlessly about how we work and what we're up to next - plus talking about books, of course. But . . . and it's a huge BUT - instead of award nominations and praise, it would thrill me even more if the notorious and shameful Guantanamo Bay prison were to close its doors immediately and due reparations made to the inmates and the justice system! While I've handed in the ms for my next book; The Glass Collector, which will hit the shops in March 2011, the idea for the one after that is gestating into a workable plan. I'll no doubt bin some ideas half way through, as I always do, but hope to spend the Summer immersed in day dreams where I get to know these odd creatures; my new characters, as they spring to life - usually when I'm washing the kitchen floor or waiting in the supermarket queue. I'll keep you posted. The London Book Fair - Monday 19th April 2010 17:30 - 18: 30 The Reading Revolution Westminster Room, Earls Court 1 Organised by DIPNET Speakers The confirmed panel members include:
Discovering Britain’s biggest untapped commercial market – Muslim Focus 26th March 2010 These stunning designs were the work of three first year girls who were given the task by their Design Technology teacher to come up with point of sale displays for the Erskine Stewart's Melville 2010 Book Award short list and Guantanamo Boy was their project. What eye catching work, Well done girls! 
 23rd March 2010 A mini blog... People keep telling me I should post a blog or two but I'd much rather read, think and dream than rabbit on about not very much, however, I just heard that Guantanamo Boy has won the Erskine Stewart's Melville Book Award. The result was announced on World Book Day 2010 and was voted by pupils of two schools in Edinburgh. Thank you. This is Guantanamo Boy's first award and therefore extra special. It has also been shortlisted for the 2010 Lancashire Book Of The Year Award which was decided by 500 students from 12 high schools who read 80 books. The other books are: Bloodchild - Tim Bowler Numbers - Rachel Ward Stolen - Lucy Christopher Saving Rafael - Leslie Wilson Are these my basoomas I see before me? - Louise Rennison Bang Bang You're Dead - Narinder Dhami Grass - Catherine MacPhail The Spook's Sacrifice - Joseph Delaney Out of the Blue - Val Rutt I'm taking a break at the moment and enjoying friends and family after spending most of the last seven months working on my next book: The Glass Collector which is set in a recycling community in Cairo. Will let you know when there's a publication date. Great News: Guantanamo Boy has been shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award. The other books are: Solace Of The Road by Siobhan Dowd, Troubador by Mary Hoffman and The Ask And The Answer by Patrick Ness. www.costabookawards.com How fantastic is that? You might want to take a look at My Week in The Sunday Times. entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article6936377.ece 17th November 2009 Chuffed is too small a word to describe how delighted I am that Guantanamo Boy has been longlisted for the 2010 CILIP Carnegie Medal, so here goes; I’m over the moon, thrilled, amazed and tickled pink, too. The book is also longlisted for: The Wirral Paperback of The Year Award. Plus, shortlisted for the following: Southern Schools Book Award North East Teenage Book Award Angus Book Award . . . All of which are just as exciting! Cambridge Festival of Ideas - University of Cambridge, Cambridge The Cambridge Festival of Ideas runs from 21st October to 1st November and celebrates the arts, humanities and social sciences with a range of fantastic free activities for people of all ages. www.festivalofideas.org Saturday 24th October 2009 Lady Mitchell Hall, the Sidgwick Site in central Cambridge. Talks by Michael Morpugo, Caroline Lawrence, Patrick Ness and me . . . 3pm - 4pm Writers in conversation: Anna Perera, author of Guantanamo Boy, will be interviewed by Michael White, The Guardian's political editor, about her work and about how writers can get children interested in politics. Ages 14+ www.childrenandarts.org.uk/events/event/9311/1 Reprieve - The Human Face of Death Row: launch night 2 Jul 2009 ... Anna Perera, author of Guantánamo Boy, described the exhibition as a fine example of the power of art: "Men and children, ... www.reprieve.org.uk/2009_07_02clairephillipslaunchnight Great News! Guantanamo Boy has been shortlisted for the Southern Schools Book Award, January 2010 The SSBA is a group of 39 schools from both the independent and state sectors of education across the South East of England. The other titles are: Sally Gardner – The Red Necklace Damien Kelleher – Life Interrupted Sophie McKenzie – Blood Ties Rachel Ward - Numbers Schools from France and South Africa are shadowing the award. 24th June 2009 Visiting Sherfield School, Hants. 20th June 2009 Hanging out and signing books at the SLA Conference, Surrey University. 4th June 2009 And the heat continues... Washington Didn't Want You to See This Guantanamo Photo www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/06/03-1 Cheney Led Briefings of Lawmakers to Defend Interrogation Techniques www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/06/03-6 Hay Festival 21 - 31st May 2009 Thursday 28th May at 4pm Teen writing legend Melvin Burgess will be discussing raw realism in teen literature with Anna Perera and Lucy Christopher. A Spinebreakers event. Tickets £4 www.hayfestival.com 27th May 2009 Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London I'm really looking forward to attending the Muslim Writers Awards where Shannon Park who published GB, will present Puffin's unpublished children's book prize. www.muslimwritersawards.co.uk 26th May 2009 Winchester University 6-9pm I'll be talking to students on the MA Writing For Children course which I did ten years ago and can't recommend highly enough. www.winchester.ac.uk 11th May 2009 Just received the German cover for Guantanamo Boy published there in July. Brilliant.  www.guantanamoboy.co.uk Feature. Should historical children’s novels deal with real - life, adult subjects? Article by Anna Perera: Waterstone’s Magazine Anna is available for school visits, talks, events. Their Stories Must Be Told Anna Perera, author of Guantanamo Boy, and Morris Gleitzman, author of Once and its sequel Then, discussed their books at a crowded event hosted by Puffin. Book Brunch article: Essential stories at Puffin  New release February 2009 Guantanamo Boy - Published by Puffin 'Children's authors and their publishers don't shy away from tackling difficult subjects and this week Puffin bought a novel which exposes the shame of the US forces' detention centre in Cuba. Guantanamo Boy by Anna Perera tells the story of 15-year old Khalid, a Muslim boy born in Rochdale, who is abducted while on holiday in Pakistan with his family and held for two years without charge'. Independent July 2008 The Night The Lights Went Out - Shortlisted for the Dundee City of Discovery Picture Book Awards 2008 The Picture Book Award aims to provide opportunities to engage young people and picture books.  Children with the shortlisted books |
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