Charlotte and Wilbur Award For Compassion for Animals

Animals share our world. They’re vital to life on Earth.

The Charlotte and Wilbur Award for Compassion for Animals will award one winning book and one honor book for their dedication to promoting compassion and respect for animals in their readers.

The winning book will receive a prize of $2,500 and the honor book will receive $1,000. If the winning or honor book is a picture book, the prize will be split between the author and illustrator.

The award also includes the production and distribution of a video author talk for the winning creators, which will be widely distributed in the United States and globally. Authors and illustrators must submit their own books for consideration.

Of the Award, founder, children’s book author, and animal activist Karen Winnick says: 

“My hope with this award is that young readers learn about animals, so they develop compassion and respect. They will be the generation that saves them.”

Submissions for the Charlotte and Wilbur Award for Compassion for Animals are currently closed.

Criteria

- Submissions must be a picture book, chapter book, middle-grade book (or graphic novel), or young adult book traditionally or self- published in 2024. Books in translation are welcome.

- The book can be either fiction or nonfiction.

- Books must be submitted by their author, illustrator, or translator to be considered.

Submission Guidelines

To submit, please send the following in a single PDF to ilfawards@scbwi.org:

• A full manuscript (including illustrations) of the book you are submitting
• Author and illustrator bios (250 word maximum)
• Answers to the following questions (250 word maximum, per essay):
• Why did you choose to write about this particular animal?
• How will this book teach compassion for animals to readers?

This award is CLOSED for submissions.