Amelia Westlake by Erin Gough has won this year’s 2018 Readings Young Adult Book Prize.
The Prize considers first and second works of young adult fiction and memoir from Australian authors. This year’s shortlist included Between Us by Clare Atkins, Beautiful Mess by Claire Christian, Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein, Untidy Towns by Kate O’Donnell, This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada as well as Gough’s Amelia Westlake.
Amelia Westlake follows the story of Harriet Price (rule-abiding prefect) and Will Everhart (rule-breaking slacker). The two girls strike up an unlikely friendship when they decide to publish a controversial cartoon about a sexist teacher in the school newspaper under the pseudonym Amelia Westlake – an act that leads to further rebellion, and a romantic spark between Harriet and Will. Part queer rom-com, part feminist heist, Amelia Westlake is a joy to read.