A former teacher has won the coveted Costa Book of the Year award, with a collection of sonnets inspired by her experiences of working in an inner-city school.
Hannah Lowe’s The Kids won the £30,000 prize, beating off favourite from Claire Fuller for Unsettled Ground.
The award pits the winners of the first novel, novel, biography, poetry, and children’s book prizes against each other to find the year’s most enjoyable book.
Judges said it was “a book to fall in love with”, adding it was “joyous, it’s warm and it’s completely universal”.
“It’s crafted and skilful but also accessible,” they said.
The book’s 66 sonnets go into the rollercoaster of emotions invoked while teaching A-level English, as well as fictionalised depictions of some of her older students.
It also features stories about her personal life and her experiences as a mother.
Speaking at the ceremony, Lowe said: “The book is very much a love song to young people and to the kids that I taught, who taught me so much.
“It’s also a book about my teachers, and again, my deep appreciation and thanks to everyone that’s taught me in my formal and informal education.”
She also paid tribute to “my little boy, Rory, who is learning about the world and teaching me every day, and is the absolute heart of this book”.