Danielle Jawando

Awards

• Shortlisted for the 2021 Waterstones Children's Book Prize
• Shortlisted for the 2021 YA Book Prize
• Winner of the 2021 Great Reads Award (for best novel in the senior category)
• Shortlisted for the 2021 Branford Boase Award
• Shortlisted for the 2021 Jhalak Children's and YA Prize
• Shortlisted for the 2021 Lancashire Book of the Year
• Long-listed for the 2021 CILIP Carnegie Medal

Details

Danielle Jawando is an author, screenwriter and Lecturer in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University. Her debut YA novel, And the Stars Were Burning Brightly, won best senior novel in the Great Reads Award and was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, the YA Book Prize, the Jhalak Children's & YA Prize, the Branford Boase Award and was longlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal, the UKLA Book Awards and the Amazing Book Awards. Her previous publications include the non-fiction children's book Maya Angelou (Little Guides to Great Lives), the short stories Paradise 703 (long-listed for the Finishing Line Press Award) and The Deerstalker (selected as one of six finalists for the We Need Diverse Books short story competition), as well as several short plays performed in Manchester and London.Her second YA novel, When Our Worlds Collided, was published in March 2022.  Danielle has also worked on Coronation Street as a storyline writer.

VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS 

I offer 30 or 60 minute virtual workshops, these include:

Writing where you come from, short story and scriptwriting workshops for KS3/KS4 pupils 

Ghost story workshops for KS2 pupils 

Prices:

£70 for a 30-minute virtual workshop or £120 for an hour 

IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS AND VISITS  

I'm available for single sessions, half-day and full-day visits

These include an interactive assembly with a reading, talk about my path to becoming an author and a Q&A. This is suitable for whole-school assemblies.

For older year groups (KS4+), I offer assemblies and talks about mental health that are linked to the themes explored in And the Stars Were Burning Brightly. These include challenging the stigma around mental illness, along with discussing my own experience and reason for writing the book. This talk also includes a reading and Q&A.  

Assemblies can then be followed by a creative writing workshop. I offer workshops on: activism through art and the power of your voice, writing where you come from, the elements of a great story and scriptwriting. 

Prices:

£200 for a single session (up to two hours) plus travel expenses 

£350 for a half-day visit including an assembly and up to two sessions, plus travel expenses 

£450 for a full day visit including an assembly and/or multiple sessions, plus travel expenses 

Reviews:

'Powerful' Cosmopolitan 

'A powerful read for older teens and adults alike' Culture Fly 

'A searing debut' Evening Standard 

'A raw, unflinching and powerful story that will stay with me for a long time’ Manjeet Mann, author of The Crossing
 
‘A beautiful ode to found family, and a compassionate look at the power of connection borne from the ashes of tragedy and apathy’ Christina Hammonds Reed, author of The Black Kids
 
‘Hard-hitting yet still hopeful, this is an emotional powerhouse of a book’ Alexandra Sheppard, author of Oh My Gods

'An outstanding and compassionate debut' Patrice Lawrence, author of Orangeboy

‘An utter page turner from a storming new talent. Passionate, committed and shines a ray of light into the darkest places - the YA novel of 2020!’ Melvin Burgess, author of Junk

'One of the brightest up and coming stars of the YA world' Alex Wheatle, author of Crongton Knights