Out Of Shadows by Jason Wallace, edited by Charlie Sheppard and published by Andersen Press, has won this year's Branford Boase Award, which is given each year to the most outstanding work of fiction for children by a first time novelist.

Out of Shadows is set in Zimbabwe in the 1980s. The war is over, independence has been won and Robert Mugabe has come to power offering hope, land and freedom to black Africans. It is the end of the old way and the start of a promising new era. For Robert Jacklin, it’s all new: new continent, new country, new school. But, very quickly he learns that for some of his classmates, the sound of guns is still loud, and their battles rage on.

The Branford Boase Award was set up to encourage new writers and is given each year to the most promising work of fiction for children by a debut novelist. The Branford Boase Award also honours the editor of the winning title and highlights the importance of the editor in nurturing new talent.

The delighted winner said, ‘The realisation of my aspirations of becoming a published author was, of course, wonderfully fulfilling. To know that my first work is enjoyed and appreciated to the extent that it is shortlisted for, then wins, the Branford Boase Award is momentous. Above all else the Branford Boase is special to me because it recognises that writing a book is not a solo endeavour - I know full well that Out of Shadows would not have made it without the insight and advice from my editor, Charlie Sheppard.’

Jason’s editor, Charlie Sheppard, added, ‘As a young editor I went to the launch of the Branford Boase Award and remember thinking, “I really hope I can win it one day; that I can find someone new and then have a working relationship with them that’s worth celebrating, that brings out the best in them and their writing to produce a very special book.” To be honest, Out of Shadows would still have been a special book without my help, but the whole process of finding this book and working on it and seeing people’s reactions to it has been wonderful. And now to have won this prize on top is just confirmation that I love my job and that, despite what some people say, there is a role for editors in the modern world of publishing and our contribution is still recognised and valued. So on behalf of all editors, “thank you”.’

The Branford Boase Award judging panel has a very strong track record of selecting future best-selling and critically acclaimed authors. Previous winning writers include Marcus Sedgwick, Meg Rosoff, Kevin Brooks and Mal Peet.

Julia Eccleshare says: ‘The 2011 shortlist was an extremely strong one and any of the titles would have made a worthy winner. However, the quality of the writing in Out of Shadows really impressed the judging panel. It is an important story and one told with great nuance and subtlety.

At the ceremony at Walker Books in London this evening, former Children’s Laureate, Jacqueline Wilson, presented Jason Wallace with a cheque for £1,000 and both Jason and editor Charlie Sheppard also received a unique, hand-crafted, silver-inlaid box.

Jason Wallace is a descendent the world-renowned Victorian circus owner “Lord” George Sanger.

He was born in Cheltenham in 1969 but moved to London after his parents split up. Aged 12 his life was turned upside down when his mother remarried and the family emigrated to Zimbabwe.

It was this experience in a tough boarding school during the aftermath of the war for independence that forms the foundation of Out of Shadows. And he did actually meet Robert Mugabe when he visited his school. Jason now lives in South West London.

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