The EJK Award identifies and encourages early talent in the creation of outstanding picture books for all children.

 

Submission Guidelines 

 

Eligible Books must:

• be submitted by the publisher on the EJK Award Submission Form 

• have an author and/or illustrator early in their career

• be published during the 2026 calendar year

• be published in North America and in English (translations/multilingual books included)

• be sent to all individuals on the EJK Award Committee list

• be postmarked before or on December 1, 2026

 

Books Not Eligible:

• Self-published

• Ebook-only or print-on-demand

• Folktales or retelling of folktales

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Award and Cash Prize​

• At the ceremony, the winning writer and illustrator will each receive 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.  

• Honor 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. 

 

For details on EJK Award Criteria click here.