The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators is launching the Golden Kite Award for Translation, recognizing "the skilled translators who bring diverse stories to young readers in languages around the world." It will be presented for the first time in 2027 to honor books originally published in 2026, with the winner receiving $2,500 and the honor recipient $500.
SCBWI's global translator coordinator Avery Fischer Udagawa, who was instrumental in creating the award, said, "The Golden Kite Award for Translation will help translators build and sustain their careers, thanks to its purse. At SCBWI, we recognize that translators, like authors and illustrators, receive a copyright line for their creative contributions and must be named and known. Requiring translators to be named on the covers of their translations--as encouraged by the Authors Guild, PEN America, and The Chicago Manual of Style--helps ensure that readers know who chooses each word, who absorbs the feelings of a source text before rendering them with the utmost care for young readers. That is work AI could never replicate."
Sarah Baker, SCBWI executive director, said the new award "represents long-overdue recognition of the crucial work translators do in carrying children's literature across the borders of language and culture. We believe every child deserves access to great stories, and translators make that possible. We are deeply grateful to Avery Udagawa, whose dedication made this award a reality. We hope that translators of children's literature around the world will take advantage of this important new opportunity for recognition."