Prospective writers of middle grade fiction whose unpublished work centers on historically underserved communities have a new opportunity to advance their writing. Coretta Scott King Book Award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes and her longtime publisher Little, Brown Books for Young Readers have teamed up to offer the first-ever fellowship in the author’s name.
Now through April 17, applicants are encouraged to submit a portion of their manuscripts in consideration for the Jewell Parker Rhodes Fellowship for Emerging Voices. The recipient will receive a $10,000 grant, along with two rounds of feedback with an LBYR editor in their New York City offices. Three finalists will be selected in mid-July, with the winner announced in early August.
Representing the Underrepresented
Finding the right partner for this fellowship was a no-brainer for Rhodes. who credits LBYR president and publisher Megan Tingley for consistently supporting her work, including this project. In 2014, during a six-month stretch when the author was between editors, she recalled sitting in Tingley’s office, anxious over her future as a children’s book writer. “Standing, Megan said quietly, yet emphatically, ‘I am your publisher.’ Her words immediately soothed me,” Rhodes told PW. “She wasn’t a vague presence but a formidable safety net, a partner promoting excellence.”
A mutual respect has defined their working relationship. When the author approached Tingley with the idea for a fellowship as a means to mentor an aspiring writer and editor, it was met without hesitation. “This initiative has all the qualities that Jewell exemplifies as a human being and as a writer: gratitude, generosity, and a deep respect for young readers,” Tingley said.
The fellowship was inspired by Rhodes’s grandmother, Ernestine Thorton, who introduced her to storytelling and continues to influence her work. “When I write, I channel my grandmother’s voice, telling me stories in the evening on our front stoop,” she said. “I work at capturing the cadences of the African American oral transition—the resonance of meaning in a few words.” Many of her novels feature a grandmother or an elder Black woman who serves as the face of resilience and hope. In addition, Rhodes’s Porch Stories: A Grandmother’s Guide to Happiness (2006) pays tribute to Grandmother Ernestine with its collection of home-spun stories.
“ ‘Every goodbye ain’t gone,’ Grandmother would say,” Rhodes recalled. “The JPR Fellowship honors her memory, honors the African belief that all stories are true, and that sharing them makes a person whole and the world better.”
Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of four judges: Stefanie Molina-Santos, board member of Literary Agents of Change; Caroline Richmond, executive director of We Need Diverse Books; Sherri L. Smith, 2021 Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Golden Kite Award winner; and Crystal Castro, assistant editor, LBYR. Rhodes will then select the winning entry, based on originality of voice, clarity of vision, and impact and relevance. Additional application details and eligibility requirements can be found here.
Rhodes believes that now is the time to offer this fellowship. “Retreating from multi-ethnic literature silences voices and takes us backward to a world in which children of color never knew, were never taught that there were myriad cultures and narrative traditions to be embraced,” she said. “The JPR fellowship reflects my small hope that an unpublished author will feel seen, supported, and valued.”
