The First Words In Print (FWIP) project promotes the pleasures of reading among South African children and their families through the development and promotion of a national literature for young children in their mother tongue.

First Words in Print is pleased to invite local writers and illustrators to submit new books for children between the ages of 0-5.

The project requires three new books, two of which should be for children aged 0-5 and one specifically for children aged 0-2. The books must be previously unpublished and can be submitted in any South African language.

Deadline : 31 January 2004
Prizes : R10 000 per book

Categories of Books

Writers and illustrators are invited to make submissions for the following categories of books, which must each be 16 pages in length:

• A word-book that focuses on everyday life experiences of very young children
• A storybook
• A wordless picture book
• Any one of the above categories of books for children aged 0-2

Requirements for Books Submitted

Each book submitted requires:

• Complete text, 1 full colour picture, black and white storyboard showing how the text and pictures will relate to the book
• The books should make use of full colour throughout
• They should be text-light
• Writers and illustrators should place emphasis on pictures, rhyme,
  rhythm and repetition.
• The content, language, metaphor and imagery should be appropriate for
  very young South African children
• Writers and illustrators are welcome to submit in any South African
  language, but all books should be adaptable into all South Africa's
  official languages
• The material submitted must be previously unpublished

Should anyone wish to submit an alternative entry please contact the Project Administrator.

The selection process

Winning books will be selected by a specially constituted committee.
The committee's selections will be final and no correspondence will be entered into concerning the committee's choice.

Selection criteria : Quality of illustrations; Effective use of rhyme, rhythm and repetition; Relevance of content for very young South African children; Degree to which books stimulate children's imagination.

Submissions should be hand delivered or sent by courier to:

FIRST WORDS IN PRINT SUBMISSIONS
For Attention: The Project Admininstrator
Centre for the Book, 62 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town, 8000

Enquiries : Contact The Project Administrator at Tel. (021) 422-2501 or
Fax (021) 424-1484 or E-mail: firstwords@nlsa.ac.za

For full details of the Competition, have a look at the Centre for the Book's website, www.centreforthebook.org.za on the Indaba page under Competitions or email Nazli Johaardien at firstwords@nlsa.ac.za