- The work, selected by a jury of experts linked to It Gets Better Spain, will be published at the national level in September 2026 by Kabo&Bero Ediciones.
- The plot addresses emotional health, the weight of rumors on social networks and overcoming the labels imposed in classrooms.
- The publisher will allocate 0.7% of commercial profits to finance support and accompaniment projects for LGTBIQ+ youth.
Youth literature focused on emotional diversity takes a giant step thanks to a recognition that praises empathy and emotional health in classrooms. The writer Joan Llensa has officially won the prestigious Todo Mejora 2026 Award from LGTBIQ+ youth literature thanks to his work The Noise. The contest, promoted in direct collaboration with the organization It Gets Better España, highlights narratives capable of conveying a message of improvement, dignity and community to adolescents exposed to situations of vulnerability.
A story without sermons about the weight of school labels
The main plot of the novel introduces the reader to the life of Joel, a high school student whose initial priority is to go unnoticed in his school environment. The protagonist’s balance is drastically broken when a series of malicious rumors begin to spread through the hallways and digital social networks, completely altering the way in which his classmates perceive, judge and pigeonhole him. From that moment on, the young person must face not only the external harassment, but the psychological impact that this “noise” generates on their own self-esteem.
Far from sugarcoating the dynamics of harassment or the fear of social rejection, Llensa’s literary proposal addresses adolescent suffering without pedagogical detours, but refusing to turn pain into an insurmountable destiny. The book avoids easy answers or moralistic speeches from adults, strictly respecting the emotional times of the main character. The story thus functions as a transversal communication bridge suitable for families, teachers and book clubs seeking to activate open debates about mutual respect.
A jury of experts in activism and literary dissemination
The selection of the winning work for this Todo Mejora 2026 Award has been carried out by an evaluation committee made up of prominent figures from the cultural field and social activism in Spain. The tribunal was made up of the president of It Gets Better Spain, Acto Paulson; the coordinator of the entity’s support area, Quique María Sanz; the actor Miguel Ángel Martín; the education professional María Marín, and the renowned literary popularizer on digital platforms José Cabrera, known in virtual environments under the pseudonym Sauces de Papel.
The printed edition, which will have a specialized prologue by the writer and teacher Ramón Martínez, will reach bookstores throughout the country next September under the Kabo&Bero Ediciones seal. In line with the ethical values of the contest, the publishing company has formalized a corporate responsibility agreement by which it will donate 0.7% of the net profits obtained from the marketing of the book to the operating funds of It Gets Better Spain, ensuring the support of its youth care lines.
Joan Llensa: a trajectory consolidated in identity
The triumph in the contest consolidates Joan Llensa’s signature as one of the leading voices in the panorama of current personal improvement narrative. With a community of readers that already exceeds 150,000 people throughout the national territory, the Catalan author reaffirms his versatility after having published the title Primer Padre in 2024 together with the Grijalbo publishing house. With The Noise, the creator transfers his characteristic analysis of the processes of intimate transformation and overcoming losses to the complex affective universe of contemporary adolescence.
The motto chosen to accompany the launch campaign —“Don’t hide. Don’t be in a hurry. Being able to be”—synthesizes the transformative spirit of a book that aspires to combat youth isolation. In the words of the winner himself, hope is not limited to naively ensuring that problems will magically disappear, but rather providing minors with the absolute certainty that they will not have to go through the processes of identifying their identity in complete solitude.
