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NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature

エヌエスケー ニュースタッド じどうぶんがくしょう

International award for children's literature established in 2003. Evaluates the extent to which the writer's overall body of work contributes to the quality of children's literature.

Children's literatureInternational literature prizeAchievement award
Established
2003
Organizer
World Literature Today and the University of Oklahoma
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Selection Method
Recommendation
Target
Professional
Frequency
2 per year
Status
Active

Description

The NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature is an international children's literature award established in 2003, organized by World Literature Today and presented by the University of Oklahoma. The award recognizes not a single work but the writer's entire career, placing emphasis on positive contributions to the quality of children's literature and the enrichment of children's lives. Candidates are nominated by a jury of children's literature authors, illustrators, and scholars, and the winner is announced at a public award ceremony. Winners are limited to living writers, with no restrictions on age group, genre, or media. The 'NSK' in the award's name derives from the initials of the Neustadt family, its founders.

Prize

Main Prize
The winner receives prize money, a silver medallion, and a certificate
Cash Prize
35,000 USD
  • Silver medallion
  • Certificate
  • Recognition at the award ceremony at the University of Oklahoma

Selection

Selection Process

Candidate nomination (Nomination)
Judges A jury consisting of children's literature authors, illustrators, and scholars nominates candidates
Final selection and winner determination
Judges Same as above (jurors select the winner)
Announcement The winner is announced at a public award ceremony at the University of Oklahoma

Criteria

  • How the writer's lifelong body of work contributes to improving the quality of children's literature
  • Candidates must be living writers
  • No restrictions on age group, genre, or media (evaluates a wide range of children's literature formats)

Application Tips

Dos

  • Understand that this award is nomination-based by the jury (self-applications are generally not accepted)
  • Organize your long-term achievements as a writer and contributions to children's literature
  • Increasing international visibility (translations, international publications, reviews) can lead to nominations more easily
  • Document clearly your career, awards history, and the impact of major works

Don''ts

  • Rely solely on self-nomination (not effective as it is not an open call)
  • Emphasize only a single work (this award values the overall body of work)
  • Misunderstand the judging criteria and limit appeals to specific genres or age groups

From Judges

  • We emphasize the writer's lifelong contributions and impact on the quality of children's literature
  • Candidates are nominated by the jury, so research, translations, and international acclaim can aid recommendations
  • Confirm that the award is for living writers

Related Awards

  • Neustadt International Prize for Literature
  • Newbery Medal
  • Caldecott Medal
  • Hans Christian Andersen Award

Official Resources

https://www.neustadtprize.org/the-nsk-prize/

Past Winners

Cherie Dimaline しぇりー・でぃまりん Winner
Gene Luen Yang じーん・るーえん・やん Winner
Cynthia Leitich Smith しんしあ・らいといっく・すみす Winner
Margarita Engle まるがりーた・えんぐる Winner
Marilyn Nelson まりりん・ねるそん Winner
Meshack Asare めしゃっく・あされ Winner
Naomi Shihab Nye なおみ・しはぶ・ない Winner
Virginia Euwer Wolff ゔぁーじにあ・ゆーわー・うるふ Winner
Vera B. Williams べら・びー・うぃりあむず Winner
Katherine Paterson きゃさりん・ぱたーそん Winner
Brian Doyle ぶらいあん・どいる Winner
Mildred D. Taylor みるどれっど・でぃー・ていらー Winner