Prize for unpublished children's literature

Macmillan, the UK-based educational publishing house, has announced the start of its third Writer’s Prize for Africa, which is awarded to writers of unpublished children’s literature.

Macmillan has been established an new category, the Children’s Illustrator Award, with a prize value of US$1,000 for the 2005 prize. The other three categories are Junior Award, for a story for 8-12 year-olds; Senior Award, for a story for 13-17 year-olds; and the New Children’s Writer Award, for a previously unpublished author.

The Junior and Senior award carry a prize of US$5,000 and the New Writer award has a prize of US$3,000.

The deadline for entries is 30 June 2005. The winners will be announced in January 2006 and the winning entries will be published later in 2006. Macmillan will enter into discussions with the winning illustrator for further assignments in book illustration for Africa.

The judges panel includes Meshack Asare, whose book Sosu’s Call was selected as one of Africa’s 100 best books, Ellen Mulenga Banda-Aaku, winner of the 2004 Macmillan award, James Berry, author of A Thief in the Village, and Lemn Sissay, a children’s poet and playwright.

Macmillan has drawn up guidelines for prospective writers and illustrators, and has published three extracts for which illustrators must produce a work.

The 2004 winners were:

• Senior award: Begotten of the Gods by Osita Okoroafor of Nigeria
• Junior award: Bamboo Girl by Anthony Kwamiah Johnson of Ghana
• New Children's Writer award: Wandi's Little Voice by Ellen Mulenga Banda-Aaku of Zambia

This biennial event is open to entrants from all countries in Africa. Entries can be submitted to Macmillan offices in Africa.

For more information and details go to www.write4africa.com