Trevor Noah's "It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood", which is a young readers adaptation of his 2016 memoir, has been awarded the Youth Literature Award for 2020.
The South African Literary Awards (SALA) celebrates 15 years of growth and exhilarating success.
And the 2020 literacy winners were announced virtually on Saturday, November, 7.
The South African and New York Times bestseller aims to provide children with an intimate view of what it was like growing up in apartheid South Africa — and to present a deeply personal perspective of how racism shaped the way he saw himself.
Noah, who is born to a black South African mother and a white European father, explained how growing up in Soweto, “it was interesting being in a country where the law defined me as one race and by how others labelled him.”
The stories he tells in this book will make you laugh, cry and fill you with wonder and inspiration as you learn how this mischievous young boy used his quick wits and humour to get through his day-to-day life.
Against all odds and with his mother’s unfailing love and belief in him, Noah overcame many obstacles to create a promising future for himself.
“The Daily Show” host donated his prize money to the Trevor Noah Foundation, which supports underprivileged youth with the educational aid and opportunities they need to become resilient future leaders of South Africa.
Commenting on Noah’s big win, Terry Morris of Pan Macmillan said: “What a privilege to spread the joy we experience when publishing our children's books, with the judges, the booksellers and the readers throughout the country.
“Trevor Noah's Born a Crime for younger readers is a remarkable book that radiates resilience and humour and is destined to become a classic work. Thank you to the SALA awards for being a part of the journey.”
The South African Literary Awards (SALA) were founded in 2005 to "pay tribute to South African writers who have distinguished themselves as ground-breaking producers and creators of literature", celebrating literary excellence "in the depiction and sharing of South African history.
“Born A Crime - Stories from a South African Childhood” is available at Loot for R219.