Kenyan author Kinyanjui Kombani has been shortlisted for the 2018 CODE Burt Award for African Young Adult Literature. Kombani was shortlisted for his 2017 young adult novel Finding Colombia.
The full list of finalists for the CODE Burt Award for African Young Adult Literature is as follows:
- Finding Columbia by Kinyanjui Kombani (Oxford University Press, East Africa Ltd, Kenya)
- Ebony Girl by Vera Akumiah (Kwadwoan Publishers, Ghana)
- The Lion’s Whisper by Elizabeth-Irene Baitie (Kwadwoan Publishers, Ghana)
- To Kiss a Girl by Ruby Yayra Goka (Digibooks, Ghana)
- Somebody’s Daughter by Hiwot Walelign (Mega Publishing, Ethiopia)
The winner and honour books will be announced at the CODE Burt Award Ceremony in Accra, Ghana. In addition to the cash prizes presented to the winners and finalists, CODE will purchase 2,000 copies each of the winning title and the honour books. CODE’s partners in each of the program countries, including Ghana Book Trust, will receive and distribute the published books to schools, libraries, community centres and other non-profit organizations in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania.
The CODE Burt Award for African Young Adult Literature is organized by CODE and supported by Canada’s Literary Prizes Foundation and the legacy of William “Bill” Burt.