Sarah Singleton has won the 2005 Booktrust teenage prize for her novel for young adults, Century. Michelle Pauli reports for the Guardian that the novel, "is set in the 18th and 19th century and the action is entirely contained within a house and garden. Two young girls, Mercy and her sister Charity, live in perpetual winter until, one day, Mercy wakes to find the first sign of spring - a snowdrop - on her pillow, A chance meeting then prompts her to question everything she has ever known and to wake from the long dream of the past."
Louise Jury recently reported on Singleton's coup for the Independent. Jury reports that, "So far her daughters [Singleton's] have been unimpressed by her writing efforts, although Poppy has offered advice on her next title, Heretic, published in February."
This is the third year of the competition and Singleton is in excellent company. Mark Haddon was a previous winner for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.
Check out the Booktrust's website, Bookheads, for the shortlist and its resources for teen readers and information on what "other teenagers and celebs from tv, entertainment and sport are reading."
