International Education Services Teen & Young Adult Book of the Year, in honour of John Treacy

Shortlist 2025

My Name is Jodie Jones

My Name is Jodie Jones

By Emma Shevah

From then on, I collected sentences like other people collect keyrings. I searched for them everywhere . . .

Jodie Jones is obsessed with words. Yet she can’t find the ones to say what happened that day five years ago, with her mum, on the bridge.

Struggling in school and at home, she takes comfort in her safe places: her books. Her best friend. And her brother’s friend, Moses – who makes her feel something new.

But when hidden family truths come to light and life starts to implode, can Jodie Jones find the words she needs to save herself?

A compelling, witty, moving love letter to the magic of words.

About Emma Shevah...

Emma Shevah is half-Thai and half-Irish. She was born and raised in London, but has travelled and lived in lots of countries. Emma studied English and Philosophy at university, and has an MA in Creative and Professional Writing. As well as being an author, she is Head of Literacy, an English teacher and a learning support teacher working with a range of neurodiverse students. Hailing from a neuro-atypical family herself, she has four children and has written middle-grade novels and books for younger readers. My Name is Jodie Jones is her YA debut.

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