Funded by an anonymous investor, the Associates of the Boston Public Library's Illustrated Children's Book Fellowship intends to make a profound impact on the lives of emerging writers. 

Program Guidelines

Benefits

• A total stipend of $25,000, paid in monthly installments over one year.
• The opportunity to request up to $2,500 to be paid to an expert of your choice for coaching, editorial assistance, or a critical reading of your manuscript.
• Access to and use of the Boston Public Library’s Special Collections, if desired.
• A forum for the presentation/promotion of your finished literary work.
• Opportunities to establish connections with writers, publishers, artists, and the community-at-large through participation in/attendance at Library readings, lectures, and other events.
• At the end of the residency, your completed manuscript will be added to the BPL’s archives. (However, you retain all rights to your completed work.)

Eligibility

• The proposed literary project should be a narrative work that creatively employs images to uniquely convey an original concept in book form. 
• Works that qualify can be in any of the following categories:

               Ages 0-2 (board books)

               Ages 3-8 (picture books and early readers)

               Ages 8-10 (chapter books/younger middle grade)

• Eligible projects include fiction, non-fiction, memoir, or poetry. Graphic novels are not eligible. 
• Since this program is intended for emerging authors, applicants should not have already published any books for children. 
• Only one proposal may be submitted per person.
• The fellowship is only available to U.S. citizens or green card holders living in New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont).
• There is no requirement to work at the Boston Public Library, although the recipient will have the chance to attend events at the library with other writers 
• The Associates of the Boston Public Library does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or educational attainment. 

Terms of Fellowship

• You will participate in a public reception at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square on October 7, 2025, to mark the beginning of your fellowship.
• You will complete a submission-ready manuscript by the end of residency, which you will present at a second public reception, on a mutually agreed upon date.
• You will include an acknowledgment of the Associates of the Boston Public Library in all work created during the residency, and during any media opportunities stemming from the program, using mutually agreed upon language.
• Optionally, you may participate in or create a program for Boston Public Library patrons, such as a teen writing workshop or a presentation to Boston-area students, as mutually agreed upon with BPL Youth Services staff. (Participation would be only a small portion of your time and is not required, but encouraged.)

Application Process

• To apply, please complete the application form (below) and upload a proposal (4 pages max.) and writing sample (10 pages max.) by Friday, August 15, 2025, at 11:59 pm. No extensions will be provided or granted. The documents should be double spaced with one inch margins and at least 11 point font. The attachments should not include any biographical information, since there will be a blind judging process. See our FAQs for more details.
• Basic questions about the application will be answered via email (via Illustrated@AssociatesBPL.org); no calls please. Questions regarding how to present your work will not be considered. Inquiries concerning applications under review will not be answered. 
• If using Submittable creates an undue burden for you, you can alternatively mail your submission to: Illustrated Children's Book Fellowship, Associates of the Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116.
• Late applications will not be considered. Once submitted, applications cannot be altered by either candidates or program staff. 

Selection Process

• Finalists will be evaluated by a panel of judges, which includes a rotating group of authors, librarians, booksellers, publishers, editors, book designers, teachers, and/or citizens representing different areas of the world of children’s literature. Associates staff do not vote in this process. 
• The judges do not know the candidates’ names, gender, educational qualifications, or any background information. This blind judging process is focused solely on the quality of the submissions. 
• Submissions will be judged on the merit of their ability to tell a compelling and original story or concept in which image and text have the potential to form an integrated and singular narrative. Particular attention will be given to works that convey memorable or unique characters, Distinctive settings, and an emotionally compelling plot. All should be appropriate to the developmental age of the intended readership, and, ideally, will serve to inspire an illustrator's creative interpretation. 
• As this is conceived as a fellowship for a writer, illustrations are not a requirement; however, emphasis will be given to how word and image interact. Although not required, writers may electronically submit rough sketches or a book dummy that suggests the flow of words, images, and page breaks. No AI may be used in the creation of these illustrations.
• Works by talented writer-illustrators are welcome; however, the story or concept will be given greater importance in the judging.
• The candidate selected to be the 2025-26 Associates of the Boston Public Library Illustrated Children's Book Fellow will be notified by or before Thursday, October 2, 2025, and must be available to participate in an evening reception at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.

Key Dates

• Application Deadline:  Friday, August 15, 2025, at 11:59 pm
• Notification of Selected Fellow: by or before Thursday, October 2, 2025
• Residency Period: October 7, 2025, through September 30, 2026