Garfield credits Trigell for his BAFTA

9.45pm: Andrew Garfield wins the BAFTA for best actor. His lead role in Jonathan Trigell's Boy A was nothing less than awesome. I'm sure my pal Jon was blown away by the acceptance speech thank-you he received from a young actor with a formidable future as Britain's best.

The portrayal of Jack, a young man released back into society after spending his childhood years in institutions paying for a terrible crime he committed as a minor, coincided with Garfield's big screen debut. In November, Garfield's rising star burned bright with a lead role in Lions for Lambs. The film, produced by Tom Cruise is a high profile political drama that engages critically with issues surrounding America’s war on terror. Cruise appears alongside Meryl Streep in Lions for Lambs, which is directed by and co-stars screen legend Robert Redford, with whom Garfield shares virtually all of his scenes. It's a film of ideologies with a great script.

By the end of 2007, Garfield had established himself as Britain's best newcomer. By giving due credit to Jon at the BAFTAs, he has elevated more than just his own star status. He has also now placed Jon firmly in the literary spotlight.

Word of mouth: Boy A A book worth talking about

A good friend and novelist, Jonathan Trigell has achieved much acclaim for his debut novel Boy A. In 2004, it won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for the most promising literary work of the previous year for authors aged under 35. Sarah Waters, Chair of the Judges for the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, described Boy A as: “A compelling narrative, a beautifully structured piece of writing, and a thought-provoking novel of ideas.”

Last year, Boy A was turned into a Channel 4 drama starring Andrew Garfield (Lions for Lambs). It's the story of one man's struggle to adapt to normal life after being released back into society following imprisonment throughout his childhood years for the gruesome murder of a young girl.

On Monday, Boy A topped a shortlist of Britain's most discussion worthy books. More than 3,000 readers were polled by the organisers of World Book Day and asked to vote on a selectition of 100 titles. Now that the list has been whittled down to the ten most popular choices, a second round of voting begins. The winning author will be announced on World Book Day (6 March) with a £5,000 prize at stake.

Boy A's subject matter - whether the rehabilitation of children who commit crime is the right thing for society, or even possible. And whether such children deserve our sympathy or our scorn – has already stimulated much debate. Garfield's powerful portrayal of protagonist Jack provoked an emotional response from many who saw it. And the spectra of James Bulger's 'where are they now?' killers just adds to the dialogue. In all, Boy A deserves its recognition as a discussion worthy read.

If you would like to vote for Boy A in the World Book Day's Books to Talk About 2008, Click here. If you'd like to read this gripping debut from a talented friend, you can order it via Amazon here.