The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization that acts as a network for the exchange of knowledge between writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, agents, librarians, educators, booksellers and others involved with literature for young people.
The SCBWI has more than 22,000 members worldwide, in over 80 regional chapters, making it the largest children's writing organization in the world. [1] [2]
In 1971, the organization was founded as the Society of Children's Book Writers by a group of Los Angeles-based writers, including the group's President Stephen Mooser and Executive Director Lin Oliver. Authors Judy Blume and Jane Yolen sat on the original board and continue to be involved today.[ citation needed ]
In October 1973, details were announced for the Golden Kite Award, the only children's literary award judged by a jury of peers.[ citation needed ] Today, the awards are given annually to recognize excellence in children's literature in four categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Picture Book Text, and Picture Book Illustration.[ citation needed ]
In March 1978, SCBWI announced it would offer work-in-progress grants in memory of illustrator and board member Don Freeman. Today,[ when? ] nearly $25,000 in Work-in-Progress grants are given annually to SCBWI members.[ citation needed ]
In 1991, illustrator and board member Tomie dePaola lobbied to officially include illustrators in organization. and the name was changed to the current: Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.[ citation needed ]
In 1993, Sue Alexander opened the first office in West Hills, California.[ citation needed ]
In 1996, SCBWI launched its first website with the help of Bruce Balan.[ citation needed ]
In 1999, in Paris, France, SCBWI held its first conference outside the United States.[ citation needed ] Also in 1999, in New York City, SCBWI added an annual Winter International Conference.[ citation needed ]
In 2010, SCBWI established the Crystal Kite Member's Choice Awards to recognize great children's literature in 15 regional divisions around the world.[ citation needed ]
The Bulletin: The SCBWI Bulletin is a bi-monthly publication containing information about the field of children's literature. Features include marketing reports; articles on writing, illustrating, and publishing; contests and awards announcements; SCBWI member news; and ongoing SCBWI activities throughout the world.
The Book: SCBWI also publishes The Book, which provides information and references to both published and unpublished writers and illustrators. Publications include specific information on publishers, agents, markets, educational programs, contracts, critique groups, and editorial services. [3]
The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators presents several awards and grants to its members each year including:
Amber Brown Grant: Named in honor of the late author and SCBWI supporter, Paula Danzinger, the Amber Brown Grants are given to underserved schools with the desire and commitment to enrich their curriculum with a visit from an author or illustrator. SCBWI provides an all-expense-paid, full-day visit by a well-respected children's author or illustrator. The chosen school also receives a $250 stipend to assist in creating the event and $250 worth of books by the visiting author. One or two schools are chosen each year.
Book Launch Award: The SCBWI Book Launch Award provides two annual awards of $2000 each for an author or illustrator to use for marketing a book scheduled for release during the next calendar year. The money can be used for any kind of promotional purpose that will increase sales and visibility of the book, such as launch events, speaking engagements, book tours, curriculum materials, advertising, book trailers, website development, or community events.
Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards: Recognize great books from the 70 SCBWI regions around the world. Along with the SCBWI Golden Kite Awards, the Crystal Kite Awards are chosen by other children's book writers and illustrators, making them the only peer-given awards in publishing for young readers. Each member of SCBWI is allowed to vote for their favorite book from a nominated author in their region that was published in the previous calendar year.
Golden Kite Award: Given annually to recognize excellence in children's literature in four categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Picture Book Text, and Picture Book Illustration. Winning authors and illustrators receive an expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles to attend the award ceremony at the Golden Kite Luncheon at SCBWI's Summer Conference in August and a lifetime membership in SCBWI. A commemorative poster with the winners will be created and distributed to, among others, various schools, libraries and publishers. [4] [5]
Magazine Merit Award: The SCBWI Magazine Merit Awards are presented annually for original magazine work for young people. Each year, the SCBWI presents four plaques, one in each category of fiction, nonfiction, illustration, and poetry, each year to honor members' outstanding original magazine work published during that year. The works chosen are those that exhibit excellence in writing and illustration, and genuinely appeal to the interests and concerns of young people. Honor Certificates in each category are also awarded.
Member of the Year: Goes to a member who has given outstanding service to the organization.
Portfolio Award: An award for best portfolio on display in the Juried Art Portfolio Display at the Annual SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles. The winner of the Portfolio Award receives an expenses-paid trip to New York to meet with interested art directors.
Sid Fleischman Award: An award for exemplary writing for children in the genre of humor. Sid Fleischman was the inaugural recipient of the SCBWI Humor Award, for his extensive body of work, at the 32nd Annual SCBWI Conference in Los Angeles, in August 2003.
Student Illustrator Scholarship: Each year four college students studying illustration are selected to attend the Summer and Winter conferences on a full scholarship.
Sue Alexander Most Promising New Work Award: Given to the manuscript deemed most promising for publication at the Los Angeles Summer Conference. Critiquers nominate manuscripts during the Los Angeles conference. The winner receives an expenses-paid trip to New York to meet with interested editors. [6]
Tomie dePaola Award: Given annually to an illustrator of promise chosen by Tomie himself. The award consists of a $1,000 gift certificate for art supplies, plus full tuition, transportation and accommodations to the New York Winter Conference.
Tribute Fund: The SCBWI Tribute Fund commemorates members of the children's book community, their lives and their work by funding scholarships to the SCBWI International Summer and Winter Conferences for the general membership.
Work-in-Progress Grants: The SCBWI Work-In-Progress Grants are designed to assist children's book writers in the completion of a specific project, and are underwritten by a grant from Amazon.com.
As of 2020 the board is made up of a host of prominent names in the field of children's literature including: [7]
The SCBWI sponsors two annual International Conferences on Writing and Illustrating for Children each year, the Summer Conference held in Los Angeles, and the Winter Conference held in New York City. In addition, regional chapters around the world host dozens of smaller conferences throughout the year, ranging from events geared toward professional writers and/or illustrators to events for people just entering the field. Events such as book clubs, book launch parties, book signings, critique groups, gallery shows, KidLit nights, open studio tours, sketch crawls, writer/illustrator retreats, and more occur around the world. Each of the approximately 80 regions[ when? ] is led by a volunteer Regional Advisor (RA) or two co-RAs. Larger regions may also have Assistant RAs and Illustrator Coordinators as well as an advisory committee.[ citation needed ]
Coming under scrutiny during the "Me Too" movement, SCBWI had some shakeups in leadership positions.
On June 3, 2020, SCBWI Executive Director, Lin Oliver, announced that April Powers has joined the organization as its inaugural Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer. [8]
On June 10, 2021, SCBWI released a statement against anti-semintism as a response to the growing violence against Jews worldwide and the tension between Palestine and Israel. There was a call for a similar statement to be made denouncing Islamaphobia and April Powers declined to release a statement. Powers subsequently stepped down voluntarily on June 27. In July, 2021 an open letter to the organizations leadership came out released by people in the children's book community that put focus on SCBWI's organizational structure, finances, and diversity efforts. This letter was published July 12th and garnered more than 900 signatures. Many prominent authors associated with SCBWI including Laurie Halse Anderson, Meg Medina, and Linda Sue Park stepped down from their advisory board and the entire Rocky Mountain Chapter regional team resigned. There were death threats online that followed directed towards SCBWI leadership.
On August 4, 2021, the board of advisors authorized an outside company to do an audit to find ways to reorganize and expand SCBWI. [9]
The Randolph Caldecott Medal, frequently shortened to just the Caldecott, annually recognizes the preceding year's "most distinguished American picture book for children". It is awarded to the illustrator by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). The Caldecott and Newbery Medals are considered the most prestigious American children's book awards. Beside the Caldecott Medal, the committee awards a variable number of citations to runners-up they deem worthy, called the Caldecott Honor or Caldecott Honor Books.
Katherine Alice Applegate, known professionally as K. A. Applegate or Katherine Applegate, is an American young adult and children's fiction writer, best known as the author of the Animorphs, Remnants, Everworld, and other book series. She won the 2013 Newbery Medal for her 2012 children's novel The One and Only Ivan. Applegate's most popular books are science fiction, fantasy, and adventure novels. She won the Best New Children's Book Series Award in 1997 in Publishers Weekly. Her book Home of the Brave has won several awards. She also wrote a chapter book series in 2008–09 called Roscoe Riley Rules.
Thomas Anthony "Tomie" dePaola was an American writer and illustrator who created more than 260 children's books, such as Strega Nona. He received the Children's Literature Legacy Award for his lifetime contribution to American children's literature in 2011.
The Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) is a nonprofit literary organization that provides support, advocacy, resources, and community to nearly 50,000 writers, 500 college and university creative writing programs, and 125 writers' conferences and centers. It was founded in 1967 by R. V. Cassill and George Garrett.
The Golden Kite Awards are given annually by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, an international children's writing organization, to recognize excellence in children’s literature. The award is a golden medallion showing a child flying a kite. Instituted in 1973, the Golden Kite Awards are the only children’s literary award judged by a jury of peers. Eligible books must be written or illustrated by SCBWI members, and submitted either by publishers or individuals.
Loren Long is an American author of children's books best known for illustration. He won the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators' (SCBWI) Golden Kite Award for picture book illustration in 2004 for I Dream of Trains by Angela Johnson.
Elisa Kleven is an American children's writer and illustrator of 30 books. She grew up in Los Angeles and currently resides near San Francisco. Her titles have been Booklist editor's choices, and PBS and Rainbow Book selections.
The Crystal Kite Award is given by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) each year to recognize great books from the 70 SCBWI regions around the world. Along with the SCBWI Golden Kite Awards, the Crystal Kite Awards are chosen by other children's book writers and illustrators, making them the only peer-given awards in publishing for young readers.
Elizabeth Partridge is an American writer, the author of more than a dozen books from young-adult nonfiction to picture books to photography books. Her books include Marching for Freedom, as well the biographies John Lennon: All I Want Is the Truth, This Land Was Made for You and Me: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie, and Restless Spirit: The Life and Work of Dorothea Lange. Her latest book is the middle grade novel, Dogtag Summer.
Eugene Yelchin is a Russian-American artist best known as an illustrator and writer of books for children.
Margaret Dawn Hamilton was an Australian children’s literature publisher who served as the National President of the Children’s Book Council of Australia from 1991 to 1992 and as a National Board Member until April 2017 when she formally retired. She also published seven books.
Jennifer Deirdre Jane Lanthier is a Canadian children's author and journalist. Since August 2016 she has been the Director, U. of T. News at the University of Toronto.
Before John Was a Jazz Giant: A Song of John Coltrane is a children’s picture book by American author and critic Carole Boston Weatherford. It tells the story of a young John Coltrane growing up in the South in the 1930s. The book, published by Henry Holt in 2008, was illustrated by Sean Qualls.
Barbara Bottner is an American author and artist who has published over fifty children’s books in all genres, and an award-winning teacher of writing for children. She has written primetime comedy, feature scripts, short stories for national magazines, animated shorts, essays, book reviews and scholarly articles. She contributes short theatrical pieces for the Braid Theater and occasionally spoken word around Los Angeles.
Amy Timberlake is an American author of five children's books: One Came Home, That Girl Lucy Moon, The Dirty Cowboy, Skunk and Badger and Egg Marks the Spot. One Came Home was awarded the Newbery Honor and the Edgar Award. That Girl Lucy Moon was awarded by the Friends of American Writer's Literacy, and The Dirty Cowboy has received a Parent's Choice Gold Medal and won the 2004 Golden Kite Award.
We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) is a nonprofit organization created to promote diversity of multiple forms in children's literature and publishing, which grew out of the Twitter hashtag #WeNeedDiverseBooks in 2014. The organization's programming includes funding grants and internships for diverse authors and people interested in publishing, a mentorship program, providing lists of book recommendations for librarians, teachers, and parents on finding books with characters from marginalized backgrounds, and publishing an anthology of short stories featuring multiple authors from diverse backgrounds.
Sue Alexander was an American writer of children's literature. She authored 26 books for children as well as "scores of stories" for newspapers and magazines. She was also a children's book reviewer for the Los Angeles Times. She was a charter member and advisory board member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, which established two awards in her name in recognition of her efforts to educate and mentor aspiring writers.
John Parra is an American illustrator. Parra's books have received awards including the Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book Award, Golden Kite Award, Christopher Award, and an International Latino Book Award. He has additionally worked as an illustrator for corporate marketing campaigns and as an art instructor.
Lynnor Bontigao is a Filipino-born author and illustrator of children's books.
Mandy Foot is a South Australian based illustrator of children's picture books, graphic design and artwork. She has won a number of awards including a Crystal Kite Award from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and a Karajia Award, the Wilderness Society's Environment Award for Children's Literature.
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