Author Elaine Lui is pictured in an undated handout photo. No matter the outcome of next week's CBC "Canada Reads" debates, panellist Elaine Lui already feels victorious. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Dexter Chew

TORONTO - No matter the outcome of next week's CBC "Canada Reads" debates, panellist Elaine Lui already feels victorious.

The co-host of CTV's "The Social," who founded the popular blog LaineyGossip and recently published the memoir "Listen to the Squawking Chicken," is defending Raziel Reid's young adult novel "When Everything Feels like the Movies" in the annual literary competition.

It's the first time a young adult novel has been included in the contest, in which five Canadian personalities defend a homegrown book in a series of debates that air on CBC's radio, TV and online platforms. The books are eliminated one by one until a winner is declared.

Wab Kinew, who is replacing fired Jian Ghomeshi as host, won last year's competition by supporting Joseph Boyden's "The Orenda."

"One Book to Break Barriers" is the theme of this year's debates, which take place Monday through Thursday.

"I, first of all, am a big fan of young adult literature and I don't think it gets enough respect, so I was so proud and honoured to be chosen as the person to defend the first YA book in 'Canada Reads," Lui said in an interview.

"I feel like it's a win already — that among these four wonderful stories, Raziel's book has been included."

"When Everything Feels like the Movies" won a $25,000 Governor General's Literary Award for children's literature-text in November, making 24-year-old Reid the youngest author ever to receive the honour in that category.

It's inspired by the true story of Lawrence (Larry) Fobes King, an openly gay 15-year-old who was shot to death by an eighth grade classmate inside a school in Oxnard, Calif., in 2008. The incident happened after he'd asked the classmate to be his Valentine.

The book's competition includes the acclaimed "Ru" by Kim Thuy, which will be championed by Cameron Bailey, artistic director of the Toronto International Film Festival.

Children's rights activist Craig Kielburger is on the panel with multi-award-winning "The Inconvenient Indian" by Thomas King.

The other books are "And the Birds Rained Down" by Jocelyne Saucier, which is represented by singer-songwriter Martha Wainwright, and "Intolerable: A Memoir of Extremes" by Kamal Al-Solaylee, which will be defended by actress Kristin Kreuk.

Lui said she was struck by Reid's story because it has the intimate feel of literature but also a cinematic flair. And the protagonist, the flamboyant Jude, is an authentic voice who is both sympathetic and frustrating.

"This is relatable to so many people. You don't have to be gay, you don't have to live in a small town, you just have to have felt 'other' at some point — and we all have."

Lui said she recently met with Vancouver-based Reid in Toronto and he had an attitude of positivity and confidence about the "Canada Reads" competition and the general support for his book.

"There are librarians who are coming forward and advocating for this book, and (Reid) told me that the people showing up to his readings are, like, 60-year-old women," said Lui.

"He never thought that that would be his audience, and they probably never thought that they would be his audience, so that has meant a lot to him."

A petition recently circulated online calling for Reid's book to be revoked of its Governor General's award due to its "offensive and graphic nature of the words and images used."

Said Lui of the petition: "The theme of 'Canada Reads' is 'One book to break barriers,' and that barrier showed its face."

News from © The Canadian Press, 2015