This year we have received so many fantastic submissions – it has been such a privilege to read everyone’s manuscripts!
Congratulations to the 2025 Winner:
Zoe Crowest
“Charlie the Chicken”
Thank you SO MUCH to all the talented writers who were brave enough to share their stories and to our amazing judges for their work! The prize will reopen next year on March 15, 2026.
Congratulations to the 2025 Shortlist:
We are seeking picture books that do more than simply include diverse characters – we want stories that fundamentally challenge how we think about identity, belonging, and self-expression.
Our judges will be looking for narratives that authentically explore:
We’re not just seeking representation – we’re seeking transformation. A truly inclusive book does more than show diversity; it creates empathy, challenges assumptions, and opens hearts.
Our ideal manuscripts will:
In March 2023, a teacher was fired for reading my picture book “My Shadow is Purple”, a book that challenges gender stereotypes and the gender binary.
Fortunately, this kicked off a court case that is aiming to end this kind of censorship in classrooms. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident.
My books, and others like it, that celebrate inclusion beyond gender stereotypes have been systematically targeted by local councils, school districts and religious groups (both here in Australia and Internationally) – each seeking to silence & censor stories that expand children’s understanding of identity and belonging.
These censorship efforts are calculated attempts to erase narratives of diversity, to limit children’s access to stories that reflect the beautiful complexity of the human experience. They are deliberate attempts to narrow children’s perspectives, and to enforce restrictive views of who they can be and how they can exist in the world.
I believe every child deserves to see themselves reflected in literature – to know they are seen, valued, and celebrated. This literary prize is one small response to this systematic censorship. One small effort in helping more books that celebrate inclusivity find their way onto shelves, and into children’s hearts.
For full submission criteria, eligibility and full terms & conditions, click here.
