Metzenthen wins Children’s Peace Literature Award

David Metzenthen’s The Truth of It (Ford Street) has won the 2025 Children’s Peace Literature Award, South Australian Psychologists for Peace (SAPP) has announced.

The Truth of It, a middle-grade novel for readers aged 11 and over, follows Isaac and his friends as they “fight to find and shine the diamond light of truth in the darkest places”.

Set in colonial Van Diemen’s Land, the novel “includes diverse cultural, colonial and class friction that centres on a sheep stolen from the major property holder”, said SAPP, noting that the book’s “young protagonists from very different backgrounds work together to come up with a solution”.

“The story focuses on untruths, ignorance and misinformation and how [these issues are] handled by the children, who resolve the issues when they collaborate peacefully and speak the truth to appropriate adults,” added SAPP.

This winning title was selected from a shortlist of 7 children’s books, which in turn were chosen from over 100 entries. This is the 20th time the award has been presented.

SAPP is an interest group of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), a professional association of psychologists.

In its biennial award, the group “encourages the dissemination of information related to peaceful means of resolving conflict and promoting peace at the global, local and interpersonal level”, noting the role of children’s literature in presenting nonviolent solutions to conflict. The inaugural winner was Gillian Rubinstein in 1987 for Space Demons (Omnibus).

During the award’s 38 years the “focus has been given to writers with vision who have been able to stimulate children and adolescents to think, to dare, and to imagine taking control of their lives, believing that peace is both possible and desirable,” said SAPP.

The 2023 winner was Maryam Master for No Words (Pan).

More information about the prize – including other past winners and shortlists – is available on the APS website.

Category: Awards