The XXVII edition of the Sano Clemente Novel Prize, organized by the Rosalía de Castro Institute of Santiago de Compostela in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Education, Vocational Training and Universities, has a winner. In the category of novels in Galician, he won the Carnota Sica Romero writer’s award for his work Electric hazelnut. Meanwhile, in the Spanish literature and foreign language category, the winner was Brenda Navarro, for Ash in the mouthand Nell Leyshon, for Singing school. The decision of the jury, composed of students from various institutes both in Galicia and outside the Community, was announced today in a press conference involving the participation of the Secretary General of Linguistic Policy, Valentín García.

The regional representative highlighted the uniqueness of this award “consisting of a jury of teenagers who express directly their literary tastes, which is a great recognition for the winners to take into account.” Furthermore, Valentín García would like to thank another year for the initiative of the Compostela institute in organizing this joint contest “which promotes the habit of reading among teenagers, as well as the importance and richness of knowing different languages.”

The event, hosted by IES Rosalía de Castro, also featured Xabier Mouriño, director of the center; Marta Gende, awards coordinator, and persons appointed by the jury to read the resolutions.

juvenile jury

As every year, the jury of the XXVII Sano Clemente Prize consisted of students of the Rosalía de Castro Institute itself, as well as from educational centers invited from the four provinces of Galicia and from outside the Autonomous Community: from IES Laxeiro, from Lalín (Pontevedra); from IES de la Terra Te la, from Xinzo de Limia (Ourense); from IES Laguna de Xallas, in Santa Comba (A Coruña); from IES Eduardo Pondal, in Santiago, and from IES Ramiro de Maeztu, in Madrid. In addition, students from the foreign schools Lycée Saint François Xavier de Vannes (France), Hockerill Anglo European College in London (England) and Grimmelsahusen Gymnasium in Gelhausen (Germany) also participated.

Finalist novel

The young jury members had to choose among nine finalist novels, three per category. In Galician they compete for prizes with the winning work A loving creatureby Berta Davila, and Niguén remains, by Brais Lamela, published by Generales and Euseino?, respectively. In Spanish, the other two finalist novels are Masterpieceby Juan Tallon, and the rest is air, by Juan Gómez Bárcena. Finally, in the foreign language category, students assessed, along with the champion title, Lincoln Highwayby Amor Towels, and it The Promise, by Damon Galgut.