Manjeet Mann is an actress and writer. Her novel The Crossing won the 2022 Costa Book Award for Children's Book.
Early life Mann grew up in a working class family in Walsall. She studied performing arts at Coventry University.
Career Mann started her career as an actress before turning her hand to writing.
Mann's first novel, Run Rebel, was released in 2020 and was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and received the Shadowers’ Choice Award for Carnegie Medal and the UKLA Book Award for Ages 11–14+; it was shortlisted for and won several other awards. She later adapted the novel into a play, directed by Tessa Walker and produced by Pilot Theatre. The play was nominated for two 2025 Offies for: Creation for Mann and receiving Best Production. Her second novel, The Crossing, was published in 2021. It won the 2021 Costa Book Award for Children's Book and was shortlisted for numerous other awards including the Carnegie Medal.
Mann later published two children's picture books. The first, Small's Big Dream, illustrated by Amanda Quartey, was published in 2022, and the second, Whirly Twirly Me, also illustrated by Amanda Quartey, was published in summer 2023.
Personal life Mann lives in Edinburgh with her partner Joseph Coelho.
Awards and honours +Awards for Mann's writingYearTitleAwardResultRef.2021Costa Book Award for Children's BookWinnerRun, RebelBranford Boase AwardShortlistCarnegie MedalShortlistCentre for Literacy in Primary Poetry Award ShortlistShadowers’ Choice Award for Carnegie MedalWinnerUKLA Book Awards: Ages 11–14+WinnerSheffield Children's Book Awards:YA CategoryWinnerDiverse Book Award YA category Winner2022 Sheffield Children's Book Awards: YA Category WinnerSheffield Children’s Book Award: Overall WinnerCentre for Literacy in Primary Poetry AwardShortlistCarnegie MedalShortlistJhalak Prize: Children's & YAShortlistWaterstones Children's Book Prize for Older FictionShortlistDiverse Book AwardsShortlistYA Book PrizeShortlist2023UKLA Book Awards: Ages 11–14+WinnerSmall's Big DreamUKLA Book Awards: Ages 3–6+ ShortlistSmall's Big DreamDiverse Book Awards: Picture Book CategoryShortlistSmall's Big DreamDiverse Book Awards: Picture Book Category Readers Choice AwardWinner2025Run, Rebel (stage adaptation) Offie for Creation Offie nomination for ProductionFinalist Winner2026ROARJhalak Prize: Children's & YAShortlist2026ROARDiverse Book Awards YA CategoryShortlist
Children's picture books
Small's Big Dream, illustrated by Amanda Quartey (2022) Whirly Twirly Me, illustrated by Amanda Quartey (2023) Magic, Magic, Everywhere, illustrated by Noopur Thakur (2024)
Young adult novels
Run, Rebel (2020) The Crossing (2021) Roar (2025)
References
External links
Run the World official site YA Book Prize shortlist: Manjeet Mann talks about The Crossing