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Guantanamo novel for teenagers in line for UK prize

A novel for teenagers about the US prison in Guantanamo Bay written by a rock star’s wife was nominated Wednesday for a prestigious children’s book prize in Britain. Guantanamo Boy by Anna Perera, whose husband David Knopfler co-founded Dire Straits with his brother Mark, is one of four entrants in the running for the Costa Children’s Book Prize. It tells the story of 15-year-old Khalid from Rochdale in northwest England who accompanies his parents to visit relatives in Pakistan, but finds himself abducted and held for two years in the prison in Cuba. Judges described the book as “an important and moving story of an ordinary teenage boy innocently caught up in a modern-day nightmare which exposes the shortcomings of contemporary justice”. Wolf Hall, the historical novel by Hilary Mantel which won the Booker Prize last month, has the chance of more glory after being nominated in the Costa prize’s novel category. Each of the category winners receive £5,000 ($8,350) and the overall winner takes home £25,000. The winners will be announced on January 26. afp

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