Ezra Jack Keats Award for Writer

The EJK Award is given to a new writer for a picture book written in the tradition of EJK that:

Highlights the universal qualities of childhood and the strength of the family, and community.
Reflects the multicultural nature of our world.
Has an original text and original story (no folktales or retelling of folktales).
Unifies illustrations and text.
Avoids stereotypes.
Is respectful of the child’s intelligence, sensitivity, curiosity, and love of learning.
Displays freshness and originality of language and literary expression.

The Award is given for distinguished writing and text, not for illustration.

The intent of the Award is to identify and encourage early talent and to promote the creation of outstanding diverse literature for children. To be eligible, the author will have no more than three books published under any name, prior to the book under consideration. Both U.S. and international writers are eligible for booksthat are published in North America, and in the English language.

Self-published books are not eligible for consideration. Books must be available through national distribution, i.e. Ingram and/or Baker & Taylor. We do not review ebook-only or print-on-demand titles. Books must be submitted by the publisher.

Ezra Jack Keats Award for Illustrator

The EJK Award is given to a new illustrator for a picture book illustrated in the tradition of Ezra Jack Keats that:

Highlights the universal qualities of childhood and the strength of the family, and community.
Reflects the multicultural nature of our world.

Unifies illustrations and text (if present).
Avoids stereotypes.
Is respectful of the child’s intelligence, sensitivity, curiosity and love of learning.
Demonstrate excellent command of the chosen medium.
Display freshness and originality in style and/or form of artistic expression.

The Award is given for distinguished artwork that creatively and skillfully embodies the essence of the story or text.

The intent of the Award is to identify and encourage early talent and to promote the creation of outstanding diverse literature for children. To be eligible, the illustrator will have no more than three books published under any name prior to the book under consideration. Both U. S. and international artists are eligible for books that are published in North America, and in the English language.

Self-published books are not eligible for consideration. Books must be available through national distribution, i.e. Ingram and/or Baker & Taylor. We do not review ebook-only or print-on-demand titles. Books must be submitted by the publisher.

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Nature of the Awards and the Award Ceremony

The winning author and illustrator will each receive, at the award ceremony, a monetary award of $5,000 and the EJK medallion suspended in lucite and inscribed with the recipient’s name, the name of their book and the year it was published.

The EJK Award ceremony is held in early April during the Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival at The University of Southern Mississippi. In order to receive the award, the winning writer and illustrator must attend the ceremony. The publishers are responsible for making arrangements for authors and illustrators to be at the Award ceremony.

Honor book winners will receive a monetary award of $2,000 and a glass plaque inscribed with the recipient’s name, the name of their book and the year it was published.