Costa Book Awards: Hannah Lowe wins for book of sonnets The Kids

Judges said the author’s work is ‘a book to fall in love with’

(Costa Book Awards)

The winner at this year’s Costa Book Awards has been named.

Former teacher Hannah Lowe has been announced as the recipient of the £30,000 prize for The Kids, a book of sonnets about teaching, learning, growing up and parenthood.

The collection draws on Lowe’s decade of teaching in an inner-city London sixth form during the 2000s, as well as on her own coming of age in the riotous 1980s and 1990s. It concludes with poems about her young son learning to live in contemporary London.

Judges described it as “a book to fall in love with”, with BBC News journalist and broadcaster Reeta Chakrabarti stating: “it’s joyous, it’s warm and it’s completely universal. It’s crafted and skilful but also accessible. Words from the judges were ‘insightful’, ‘empathetic’, ‘generous’, ‘funny’, ‘compassionate’, ‘uplifting’. You will love it!”

Lowe beat the bookie’s favourite – bestselling novelist Claire Fuller for her fourth book Unsettled Ground.

London-based writer and lecturer LE Yates won the 2020 Costa Short Story Award, which was decided by a public vote. She has received £3,500 for her story,story, Sunblock.

Runners up were named as Matthew Hurt and Lindsay Gillespie, who received £1,000 and £500 respectively.

Hannah Lowe won the top price at the Costa Book Awards for ‘The Kids’ (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Costa Coffee)

The announcement was made at an awards ceremony hosted by presenter and broadcaster Penny Smith.

Last year’s winner was The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey.