We Need Diverse Books Announces Winner of Short Story Contest
In memory of the late author and National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Walter Dean Myers, the contest was open to unpublished writers of non-majority backgrounds. First place winner Kelly Baptist will be awarded $1000 and publication alongside esteemed authors in the WNDB Middle Grade Anthology, to be published by Crown Books for Young Readers in January 2017.
I immediately responded to the strong voice and characterization in ‘The Beans and Rice Chronicles of Isaiah Dunn.’ I was also impressed with the way Ms. Baptist created a realistic family and school dynamic. Most powerful of all, Ms. Baptist shows how words are transformative. (We Need Diverse Books)
