Publishers of picture books released in 2020 are invited to have their works considered for the 2021 Margaret Wise Brown Prize in Children鈥檚 Literature. The deadline for submissions is January 15, 2021.
Presented annually, the Margaret Wise Brown Prize recognizes the author of the best text for a picture book published during the previous year. The award is a tribute to one of Hollins University鈥檚 best-known alumnae and one of America鈥檚 most beloved children鈥檚 authors. Winners are given a $1,000 cash prize, which comes from an endowed fund created by James Rockefeller, Brown鈥檚 fianc茅 at the time of her death. Each recipient will also receive an engraved bronze medal as well as an invitation to accept the award and present a reading on campus during the summer session of Hollins鈥 graduate programs in children鈥檚 literature.
Judges for the 2021 prize include:
- Liz Garton Scanlon, author of the 2020 Margaret Wise Brown Honor book One Dark Bird and the Caldecott Honor book All the World.
- Anika Aldamuy Denise, author of the 2020 Pura Belpr茅 Honor book Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpr茅.
- Chris Van Dusen, illustrator of over two dozen children鈥檚 books authored by himself and others, including the popular 鈥淢ercy Watson鈥 series by Kate DiCamillo.
The publisher should submit four copies of each book they wish to nominate for the Margaret Wise Brown Prize: one copy to Hollins University and one copy to each of the three judges. Books must have been first published in 2020; reprints and translations are not eligible. The winner will be announced in May 2021.
Please contact Lisa Rowe Fraustino at fraustinolr@糖心传媒.edu for the judges鈥 addresses and further submission instructions.
The study of children鈥檚 literature as a scholarly experience was initiated at Hollins in 1973; in 1992, the graduate program in children鈥檚 literature was founded. Today, Hollins offers summer M.A. and M.F.A. programs exclusively in the study and writing of children鈥檚 literature, an M.F.A. in children鈥檚 book writing and illustrating, and a graduate-level certificate in children鈥檚 book illustration.
