By The Book: Hedwig Anuar Book Children’s Awards 2021 judges announced

Award-winning Canadian children’s book illustrator and author Sydney Smith will be one of the three judges for the Hedwig Anuar Children’s Book Award (HABA), together with National Institute of Education (NIE) lecturer Dr Donna Lim, as well as bestselling Singapore author Adeline Foo. Dr Donna Lim will be the Chief Judge.

Sydney Smith is best known for his critically-acclaimed wordless picture book Sidewalk Flowers, while Adeline Foo is one of Singapore’s best-selling children’s writers and is well-known for The Diary of Amos Lee series, which has been adapted for TV. This is their first time on the HABA judging panel, while Dr Lim was also the Chief Judge in 2020. The 2020 HABA winners were author Ken Kwek and illustrator Lolita Chiong for their book, Kelly and the Krumps.

HABA, a biennale award for children’s literature, is named after pioneer librarian Hedwig Anuar. Established in 2011, HABA introduced two categories this year: Picture books and middle grade books. The creator(s) of the winning work in each category will receive a cash prize of S$3,000 and a trophy. The winners will be announced during an awards ceremony at the Asian Festival of Children’s Content (AFCC) in May 2022 from 26th to 29th May 2022. Submissions for HABA are presently open and will close on 29th October 2021. 

Chief Judge Dr Donna Lim shared that “I am excited to be on the panel again and look forward to judging the two categories. Quintessential Singaporean stories are valuable in children’s books as they become profound gateways through which our children learn to see themselves and navigate their world while affirming their own unique identities. Singaporean writers and illustrators have been producing quality works that contribute to a robust children’s literature, and we hope to recognise the excellence of these works with the Hedwig Anuar Children’s Book Award.”

The winners of HABA 2021 will be announced during an awards ceremony at the Asian Festival of Children’s Content (AFCC) in May 2022 from 26th to 29th May 2022. Submissions for HABA are presently open and will close on 29th October 2021. For more information about HABA, visit their website