3 finalist books have been determined in the “Literature for teenagers” nomination, which will move on to the third stage of the “Espreso. Readers’ Choice 2021” book award.
In the 2nd stage, during July, a highly respected expert jury of 14 professional literary experts and critics chose the best books from the Long List. Thus, out of 18 books that were submitted for review and evaluation by the jury, 3 books made it to the finals.
Finalist works in the “Literature for teenagers” category first went through a two-stage selection. It is nice to note that many books worthy of victory were submitted to this year’s competition, so it was not easy for the experts of the Award to make their choice. Two books were immediate favorites and took the first and second places on the list, but two worthy publications were “competing” for the third place. And only counting the votes, taking into account the ranking used by the professional jury, the third finalist was chosen.
To the three finalists of the 5th season of the book award “Espreso. Readers’ Choice 2021” in the nomination “Literature for teenagers” included the following works:
“Traveling Circus of the Silver Lady” Nataliya Dovgopol (“VIVAT” publishing house)
The spectacular owner of a traveling circus, Frau Grete, is going through hard times. Not only that her husband turned out to be an adventurer and disappeared, but also the corpse has to be saved from impoverishment. To top it all off, the crowning number — the performance of a giant tame wolf — is on the verge of failure: a young audience member, whom everyone considers to be the cause, goes on stage and tames the formidable beast. What is this, if not a witch’s spell? The circus moves on. But from that meeting in a striped tent, pitched for one evening in the middle of a mowed field, a new story begins: about those who are looking for love and justice, about people and werewolves trying to find their true essence
The heroes of the novel will have to experience the bitterness of betrayals and defeats, make an adventurous journey through the Ukrainian lands of the beginning of the 20th century, and even find a common language with amazing creatures from ancient legends.
“Vitrova Gora” by Anna Bagryana (“Nash Format” publishing house)
They live among us – the winds, Stribog’s grandchildren. They are always born here, on the banks of the Dnieper, usually in the same family – and the grandfather passes on secret knowledge and special skills to his grandson. However, Dave is different: he was born in Canada, so he has to go through a difficult path before realizing his ancient Ukrainian roots and discovering his true calling. However, the windmills on the Dnieper hills beckon the boy, and this year resist…
“The Enchanted Sword, or the Voice of Blood” Volodymyr Arenev (publishing house “A-BA-BA-HA-LA-MA-HA”)
It was in ancient times, now forgotten. Heroes and monsters walked the earth then, and it was not always possible to distinguish the former from the latter. And the word in those days was sharper than the sword, even though swords knew how to speak their sharp word back then… In the new story of the well-known Ukrainian writer Volodymyr Arenyev, laureate of the “Book of the Year 2019” award, it tells about the adventures of the sword and those who wielded it, about journeys and persecutions, charms and spells, and also about Odin Stoymenny, Mrs. Bramnitsa and two desperadoes, who dared to challenge them. The Cursed Sword is a standalone story set in the Cursed Treasure world.
Books that were noted by experts, but did not make it to the finals:
“Isolation” by Maria Chashchyna, Anna Bezpala, Oleksandra Ladychenko, Kateryna Shchulipenko, Orysya Chelakova, Anastasia Makovetska, Darya Strokach, Severyn Koshukov, Viktoriya Velshinska (Ranok publishing house)
“Key to all doors” by Oleksandr Orlov (“Chitarium” publishing house)
“Forest on the edge” by Oksana Vesna (Avers publishing house)
“Is it all because of the food?! Life hacks for proper nutrition for teenagers” Svitlana Fus, Masha Serdyuk (“Chitarium” publishing house)
“You will change everything yesterday” Savotina Valery (Akademiya Publishing Center)
“Great Cathedrals of Ukraine” by Zirka Menzatyuk (“BUKREK” Publishing House)
“Unclean force and other kaposos stories” Ivan Andrusiak (“Nash Format” publishing house)
“It doesn’t happen faster” Serhii Pantyuk (“Nash Format” publishing house)
“Genius Love” Oleksandr Gavrosh (“Folio” publishing house)
“The Triangle of Zeus” Andriy Bachynskyi (publishing house “Stary Lev Publishing House”)
“In the light of fireflies. Where there is silence” Olha Voytenko (publishing house “Stary Lev Publishing House”)
“The world is in a volcano. Silver and Red” Olga Maksymchuk (publishing house “Stary Lev Publishing House”)
“Cotonomics, or How cats built the economy” Oleksiy Gerashchenko (“Folio” publishing house)
I would like to express special thanks to the experts of the Award, who worked promptly in an atmosphere of interest and motivation. Thanks to their high-quality, timely and professional work, the second stage of the book award was successfully completed.
According to the rules of the Prize, the final winner of the competition must be determined by readers during the third stage of voting from September to November 2021 in libraries across Ukraine.
