Ezra Jack Keats Award for Writer

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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.

• 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. To be eligible, the author will have no more than three bookspublished under any name, prior to the year under consideration. Both U.

S. and international writers are eligible for books that are published in North America, and in the English language.

Self-published books are not eligible for consideration.

Ezra Jack Keats Award for Illustrator

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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.

• 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. To be eligible, the illustrator will have no more than three books published under any name prior to the year under consideration. Both U. S. and international artists are eligible forbooks that are published in North America, and in the English language.

Self-published books are not eligible for consideration.

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Nature of the Awards and the Award Ceremony

The winning author and illustrator will each receive a monetary award of $5,000 and the EJK medallion suspended in luciteand inscribed with the recipient’s name, the name of their book and the year it was published. If one book receives both awards, the author and illustrator will each

receive $5,000 and the EJK medallion suspended in lucite and inscribed as indicated above, to be presented to the recipients at the award ceremony.

The EJK Award ceremony is held in 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 areresponsible 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 is required that the publisher purchase and affix the Gold medallion book seals depicting Peter in a red snowsuit from The Snowy Day, or a digital image of the seal, to all copies of the winning books. A silver seal with the same image is available foruse on the covers of all honor books. The foil seals and the digital image of the seals can be purchased at cost by the publisher.

Submissions

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Entries from publishers, based on the Award criteria, must be postmarked by December 31 of each year. Publishers will identify submitted books as EJK Award entries for Writer and/or Illustrator and send one copy of each book to each Committeemember; to the Curator of the de Grummond; and to Dr. Deborah Pope, Executive Director of the EJK Foundation. It is critical that each Committee member, the Curator and the Director receive a copy of each book in order that it be properly considered for the Award.

For additional information, please contact:

Ellen Ruffin, Curator of the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection, or

Claire Thompson, de Grummond Assistant 

The University of Southern Mississippi

118 College Dr., #5148

Hattiesburg, MS 39406

Phone: 601-266-4349

2022-2023 Ezra Jack Keats Award Committee

Vaunda Nelson

EJK Award Committee

925H Country Club Drive SE

Rio Rancho, NM 87124

Chris Raschka

EJK Award Committee

599 West End Ave., #6A

New York, NY 10024

Dean Schneider

EJK Award Committee

2709 Sunset Place

Nashville, TN 37212

Melissa Iwai

EJK Award Committee 

28 Sidney Pl

Brooklyn, NY 11201