The Golden Kite Award Winners

According to its website, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) "is the only international organization to offer a variety of services to people who write, illustrate, or share a vital interest in children’s literature." Each year, the SCBWI recognizes excellence in four categories: children's fiction, non-fiction, picture book text, and picture book illustration through its Golden Kite Award. To be eligible, the books have to have been published during the previous year and must have been written or illustrated by members of the SCBWI.

The winners for books published in 2003 are -

• Fiction: "Milkweed" by Jerry Spinelli,
• Non-fiction: "Leonardo: Beautiful Dreamer" by Robert Byrd,
• Picture Book Text: "The Dirty Cowboy" by Amy Timberlake, with illustrations by Adam Rex, and
• Picture Book Illustration: "I Dream of Trains" illustrated by Loren Long and written by Angela Johnson.

The SCBWI is an excellent resource for children's book authors and illustrators. For more resources, see my directory of links to tips and articles about writing, illustrating, and getting children's books published. Also check out "For/From Writers/Illustrators," a new folder I have set up on the About Children's Books Forum for published authors and illustrators to share advice and for aspiring children's book authors and illustrators to get advice.