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Scholastic UK's Graphic Novel Prize, Voted By Kids, Paid By Publishers

The Graphic Novel Prize is a new prize for kids and teengers books from Scholastic UK, but the details of entry are rather intriguing.

The Graphic Novel Prize is a new prize from the UK wing of the biggest comic book publisher and distributor in the US and the UK, Scholastic, and will be awarded in three categories: Graphic Novel for Younger Readers (6-8); Graphic Novel for Older Readers (9-12); and Graphic Novel for Teens. There is a monetary award for each winning graphic novel, £1,000, but we'll get into the details of that in a minute. Because I went and did what reporters are not meant to do: I read the terms and conditions.

Scholastic states, "The Scholastic Graphic Novel Prize will celebrate the fantastic depth and breadth of titles within the graphic novel genre as well as the authors and artists that create them. We are now accepting submissions from publishers for the Scholastic Graphic Novel Prize 2024 for books published in 2023…  If you're a publisher of brilliant graphic novels, we want to hear from you! Please read the terms and conditions, download the entry form and send your completed copy to graphicnovelprize@scholastic.co.uk . Feel free to email us if you have any questions before you submit. Submissions will close at 11.59 pm on 2nd February 2024." Shortlists will be selected at the end of March, and winners will be announced in June.

What's eligible? Well, Graphic novels must have first been published in 2023 in the UK or Ireland. Authors and illustrators across all categories can be of any nationality and domiciled anywhere. Graphic novels submitted must be published by an established publishing house based in the UK or Ireland. 'Established' is here defined as a house/imprint that publishes a list of titles by a range of authors and distributes its books nationally through recognised high-street booksellers and online retailers. Self-published graphic novels are not eligible for the Prize.

Graphic novels must be first written and published in English; translations will not be eligible. All titles must be the work of either a single or joint author/s or one author and one illustrator. Collections, anthologies, or works by multiple authors and or illustrators (defined as more than three) will not be eligible. In-house projects where the author is a member of the publishing team
will not be eligible.

A graphic novel that is published or is submitted posthumously will not be eligible for the Prize. Authors and illustrators must be aged 18 years or over at the time of submission. Publishers may make only two entries in each category per imprint, allowing up to six titles across the three categories for each imprint. Also, eleven printed copies of each submitted graphic novel must be delivered for consideration, which is standard. The judges may additionally call in titles not initially submitted by the publishers

If your graphic novel is shortlisted, that's when things get interesting. The publisher must provide another 25 copies of their shortlisted titles for promotional use, as well as agreeing that any title shortlisted for the awards will be purchased for Scholastic Book Clubs at their usual discount terms. Not every publisher would be happy with those terms, of course. They must then contribute £1,750 towards the cost of general publicity and promotion at the shortlist stage. If a publisher has more than one graphic novel shortlisted, they must contribute for each title. And this payment is to be made promptly to Scholastic within fourteen days of receipt of an invoice. If a publisher fails to comply with these, the graphic novel will be disqualified from the competition. So yes, the winners get £1000, but shortlisted titles must pay £1750 towards promotion (including promotion through Scholastic) and make themselves available to Scholastic Book Clubs on their standard terms. Scholastic is not a charity, but this does lay out the business aspect of such prizes over and above pure promotion and general good feeling.

Representatives from BookTrust will select the longlist, and a judging panel will select the shortlist. The first judges will be Sha Nazir, events producer at ACME Comic Con and former publisher at BHP Comics; Michael Stirling, creative director at Beano; and Jon Biddle, English lead at Moorlands Primary Academy in Norfolk. Richard Ruddick, teacher and Comics in Class blogger; and Jo Cummins, teacher, blogger and podcast host.

The final winners will be chosen by children's votes, using Scholastic's school channels to promote the titles, create class resources, voting packs and a virtual shortlist showcase. Those that comply with all the terms and conditions that is.

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