2004 Award Winner

The Writers’ Union of Canada, a national organization of over 1400 trade-book authors, is pleased to announce the winner of its eighth annual Writing for Children Competition. Kari Jones of Victoria, British Columbia is the recipient of the $1500 prize for her entry “Moon Belly Mama.”

Kari Jones is a Victoria based writer who began writing for children when she was at home with her own baby son seven years ago. In the (few) quiet moments when he slept she explored the language and rhythm of writing for children. As her son grew and she started telling stories to him she remembered her own childhood, part of which was spent on the island of Trinidad. Slowly the story of Chandra and the birth of her baby sister grew. As well as writing children’s stories Kari Jones writes non-fiction articles about the quirks of families and the challenges of parenting.

The Union initiated the Writing for Children competition to discover, encourage, and promote new writers of children’s literature. Thirty-three Union members donated their time and expertise to read over six hundred and eighty submissions from every region of Canada, distilling them to a shortlist of twelve entries. These finalists were presented to the 2004 jury (award-winning authors Judy Ann Sadler, Arthur Slade, and Joan Weir) who selected Jones’s story from the twelve.

"We liked the exotic setting of ‘Moon Belly Mama’ and the feel of the story. It stood out as being unique and touching. We found ourselves enjoying the journey with Chandra as she tries to understand what is happening in her family. We were charmed by the tale from its playful title to its last line. It is a sweet, creative, well-written story.” (jury)

FINALISTS
“Snow Gophers” Kate Aley (Luskville, PQ)
“Tomatoes Please!” Margaret Angus (Dartmouth, NS)
“The Wish Cat that Burped” Nathalie Doiron (Whitby, ON)
“The Boy Who Saved the Littlest Sled Dog” Nancy Elliott (Brossard, PQ)
“Once a Bird Child” Nan Forler (Waterloo, ON)
“Picture Perfect” Amy Hogue (Lanark, ON)
“The Special Person of the Day” Olga Mary Hymers (White Rock, BC)
“No Dog...And That's That” Patricia MacGregor (Seaforth, ON)
“The Bike” Patricia McCowan (Toronto, ON)
“Like Butterflies to Blossoms” Harry Posner (Alton, ON)
“At the End of the Day” Linda Syron (Toronto, ON)

READERS FOR THE COMPEITTION
Dan Badowich, Thelma Barer-Stein, Celia Barker Lottridge, Carolyn Beck, Ann Birch, Norma Charles, Elaine Clow-Martin, Sonja Dunn, Deborah Froese, Dave Glaze, Carolyn Gossage, Linda Granfield, Dorothy Joan Harris, Shelley Hrdlitschka, Ken Klonsky, Simon Leigh, Kathy-Diane Leveille, Deb Loughead, Hugh T. McCracken, Sheryl McFarlane, Anne Logan McNamara, Sylvia McNicoll, Julia Moulden, Shenaaz Nanji, Mary Razzell, Gisela Sherman, Jocelyn Shipley, Marnelle Tokio, Edo van Belkom,
Julia Van Gorder

FINAL JURY
Judy Ann Sadler, Arthur Slade, Joan Weir

- 30 -

top