'I’ve just been really lucky because my publisher could have been like, 'No way, you’ve can’t write a verse novel and then have us turn around and publish a dystopian book set in the future that’s a genre book.' But I was just really lucky, then there was a sequel and a prose novel about a girl who likes poetry – I mean how is that a book that a publisher would say 'Oh, that’s great!'? But they did, and they just sort of embraced everything that I’ve written and really allowed me the freedom to write what I want to write. Was it challenging to switch back and forth? You’ve written poetry and prose contemporary novels, as well as two dystopian novels. It also happens to be a stunningly beautiful and heartfelt story about what it means to be attached, physically as well as emotionally, which might explain why, despite its niche subject matter and style, One has spoken so clearly to adult and YA readers alike.īuzzFeed caught up with Crossan following her YA Book Prize win to talk about poetry, the unique nature of her book, and her hopes for the future of British YA. It's the story of a pair of conjoined twins, Grace and Tippi.

Her book, One, is not the kind of dystopian thriller or road-trip romance that's made YA a bookstore shelf staple. The Carnegie Medal -winning author has already won two major awards in the last two weeks: She received the Irish Children's Book of the Year at the end of May, and beat out favourites including Louise O'Neill and Patrick Ness for The Bookseller 's YA Book Prize in Hay-on-Wye on 2 June. There's no question that Sarah Crossan is having a great year.

Breathe sarah crossan summary