Gael Faye (Author) Gael Faye was born in Burundi and now lives in Rwanda. His debut novel, Small Country , received thirteen literary awards, including the Prix Goncourt des Lyceens. It has been translated into forty languages and adapted for film, theatre, and graphic novel. In 2024, his second novel, Jacaranda , was awarded the Prix Renaudot and Choix Goncourt in 28 countries. An author, songwriter and hip-hop artist, he has also released several music albums, including Pili Pili sur un croissant au beurre (2013), Rythme et botanique (2017), Des fleurs (2018), Lundi mechant (2020), and Mauve Jacaranda (2022). Sarah Ardizzone (Translator) Sarah Ardizzone is an award-winning translator of French-speaking voices. Her collaborations with Gael Faye include Small Country ( Petit Pays) , producing a bilingual musical performance version for the Edinburgh International Book Festival and translating lyrics for Gael's platinum album Lundi Mechant . To research Jacaranda , she travelled across Rwanda with Gael and the creators of the bande dessinee adaptations of his novels, Marzena Sowa and Sylvain Savoia.

She was named Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2022, and made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2024.