Panther
No. of pages 240
Published: 2016
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This book is the winner of numerous awards
There are 240 pages in this book.
It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.
This book was published in 2016 by Little, Brown Book Group .
David Owen is the author of Hidden Evidence and Hidden Secrets . He has written extensively on military deception, espionage, and written and produced television documentaries on computer crime and electronic intelligence.
Carnegie Award
Telegraph Best YA Books: 2015
Mental Illness in literature
Depression in literature
Friendship in literature
This book has been nominated for the following awards:
Sheffield Children's Book Award
This book was recognised by the Sheffield Children's Book Award.
Carnegie Medal
This book was recognised by the Carnegie Award. The CILIP Carnegie Medal is awarded by children’s librarians for an outstanding book written in English for children and young people.
At a time when the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service is under strain and in desperate need for government funding, David Owen's debut novel, Panther, is a timely YA novel. Panther is a powerful and unsentimental look at depression for youngsters ... the issue of mental health is dealt with in a candid and deft way. * Telegraph *
Owen writes an emotional story which focuses on the impact of teen depression on the rest of the family. * Sun *
In his powerful, gripping debut Panther, he announces himself with a bang. . . The author's focus on his subject matter is similarly all-encompassing and remarkable in its uncompromising approach. . . YA is in great hands with Owen and I expect not only that he will be an author to watch but that Panther will be a title to watch this year. * We Love This Book *
Good lord but Panther is a powerful story. Mental health is a big subject to tackle and David Owen has waded right into it with admirable fearlessness. . . Panther is incredibly moving but it isn't at all sentimental. And, at time when we are only just beginning to understand the costs of failing mental health, particularly on the young, we need these illuminating stories. * Bookbag.co.uk *
David Owen's Panther is an extraordinary and gripping examination of the impact of depression on a whole family. One of the most impressive things about this textured and sensitive debut novel is that it takes us inside the world of the kind of character rarely seen in teen or adult fiction. * the Herald *
Profoundly unsettling, but also profoundly powerful. Owen's focus on the sibling affected by depression at second-hand, rather than the primary sufferer, is a courageous decision. * Guardian *
Deeply relevant & powerful insight into the world of a teenage boy * Virginia Macgregor, author of What Milo Saw *
Tender, yet packing a sucker punch ... A timely book that looks at how mental health can affect the whole family * Independent, 10 Best young adult fiction *
Mental health is a difficult subject to discuss, but we think David Owen handles it brilliantly in Panther. While there are a few YA books that discuss the topic of depression, this stands out as one of the best. * WHSmith blog *