Call for Submissions
RATIONALE
To encourage and commend authors, illustrators and publishers who produce quality children’s and young adult books that portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinx people in the United States, and to provide teachers with recommendations for classroom use, the national Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP) offers up to two annual book awards, together with a commended list of titles.
CRITERIA
Up to two awards (for primary and secondary reading levels) are given in recognition of
U.S. published works of fiction, poetry, folklore, or selected non-fiction (from picture
books to works for young adults) that authentically and engagingly portray Latin America,
the Caribbean, or Latinx in the United States. By linking the Americas, the intent is to
reach beyond geographic borders, as well as multicultural-international boundaries,
focusing instead upon cultural heritages within the hemisphere. Books will be judged for:
1) Distinctive literary quality; 2) Cultural contextualization; 3) Exceptional integration of
text, illustration, and design; and 4) Potential for classroom use.
ELIGIBILITY
● The book must be published in 2023.
● The title may be for primary or secondary reading levels.
● Language of publication may be English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, or any language indigenous to the Americas.
● The book must be published in the United States or by a publisher with offices within the U.S.
● Submissions may be fiction, poetry, folklore, or selected non-fiction.
● A book will only be considered in its first year of publication in the United States. A
book originally published in the U.S. in English with a translated edition in a
subsequent year will only be eligible the first year of the edition.
PROCESS
To nominate a 2023 copyright title, publishers are invited to submit review copies to
the committee members listed on the reverse of this sheet by January 31, 2024. There
is no entry fee.
The list of award winners, honorable mention and commended titles will be announced
in May 2024, recognizing works published in 2023.
Click here to view all submission requirements.