[Closed] Hedwig Anuar Children’s Book Award (HABA) 2026
Objectives:
- To recognise outstanding published works by Singapore writers and illustrators
- To encourage the publication of quality children's books in Singapore
Books published for general commercial release from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2025 are eligible for consideration for the 2026 HABA.
Rules and Regulations
1. ELIGIBILITY
The award is open to all Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents. For books with multiple creators, at least one of the creators (e.g. writer, illustrator), must be a Singapore citizen or Permanent Resident.
Books published for general commercial release from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2025 are eligible for this award.
The award is given to published books. We accept submissions in different genres, including fiction and nonfiction. The award will be given to the best book selected by the judges in each category.
a) Picture Books
A book containing illustrations and/or words that present a coherent narrative structure. The book should contain not more than 500-700 words and be no more than 40 pages.
b) Middle Grade Books
A book for middle-grade readers from 8 to 15 years that may or may not contain illustrations.
Entries can either be published in Singapore or abroad, but must fall between the specified period of publication from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2025.
Reprints and reissues from previous years are not eligible.
2. SUBJECT AND THEME
Entries may be on any subject or theme. There is no restriction.
3. LANGUAGE
Entries must be published in English. Where appropriate in content, the usage of words or phrases in another language is acceptable.
4. ORIGINALITY
Each entry must be an original work done by the creator(s).
5. JUDGING AND SELECTION
A panel of three judges will be appointed by the Singapore Book Council (SBC) to assess the entries in both categories.
The decision of the judges is final and binding. No correspondence in relation to the judges’ decision will be entertained.
SBC reserves the right to not award a prize should the entries fail, in the judges’ opinion, to meet the expected standard.
6. JUDGING CRITERIA
The Hedwig Anuar Children’s Book Award is given to a book of outstanding literary value that demonstrates insight into the world of children and young people. Entries are judged based on the following criteria:
- originality
- the use of language
- a well-constructed plot
- consistent and convincing characters
- engaging synergy of text and illustration (particularly for picture books)
- overall aesthetic qualities of the book
- impact on readers
Books belonging to a series are eligible for submission. However, the entry will be judged based on its own merit, separate from its role and relation to other books in the series.
7. SHORTLIST AND AWARD CEREMONY
SBC will announce the shortlist of books considered for the Hedwig Anuar Children’s Book Award in March 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend the awards ceremony which will take place during the 2026 Asian Festival of Children’s Content (21 – 24 May).
8. PRIZE MONEY
The Hedwig Anuar Children’s Book Award carries a cash prize of $3,000.00 each for the winning entry in the picture book and middle grade category.
In the event there are multiple creators for the winning entry, the prize money will be split equally between the creators.
11. PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION
Pre-Award Promotion
SBC will work closely with publishers and writers to promote the shortlisted books. The creators of the shortlisted books should make themselves available for pre-award publicity campaigns as and when required. The creators agree to comply with all reasonable instructions and requests which SBC may stipulate as needed for the purposes of the award.
Post-Award Promotion
The publisher, along with the writer/illustrator of the winning entry are encouraged to continue promotion of the book after the award ceremony (via book events, media interviews, author talks/workshops etc.) Publishers and distributors of the winning entries must ensure that books supplied to bookstores carry the HABA logo. An appropriate reference on the book jacket should be included for subsequent reprint(s).
12. SUBMISSIONS
All submissions must be done via the online form: https://haba2026.paperform.co
The submission can be done by either the creator (author/illustrator) or publisher.
Applicant(s) may submit more than one title for the award, provided that the books are different and not variations of the same work.
Four (4) hard copies of each book should accompany each online submission. The copies will be used for judging, archival and promotional purposes. SBC will not be held responsible for any books that are lost or damaged in transit.
The books should be sent to the following address:
Singapore Book Council
Goodman Arts Centre, 90 Goodman Road,
Blk E #03-32,
Singapore 439053
ATTN: HABA 2026
Submissions not accompanied by FA Files (in pdf format) / hard copies of the books will be considered incomplete and disqualified from judging. Please include a printout of your submission confirmation email with the hard copies of the books.
For titles that are not scheduled to be printed by the submission deadline, applicant(s) may attach the FA (final artwork) version of the title, in pdf format, as part of the online submission process. Four hard copies of the title should be sent to SBC as soon as they are available. Applicants should inform SBC when the title would be printed.
Late or incomplete submissions will be disqualified.
13. CLOSING DATE
The closing date for submissions via the online form is 31 October , 2359h (SGT).
Hard copies of the books (for submissions that are printed by the submission deadline) should reach SBC by 5th November, 1800h (SGT) latest.
Meet Our Judges
Chief Judge - J.H. Low (Singapore)
J.H. Low is an award-winning author-illustrator of picture books. His book Lemonade Sky (2021) is featured in the prestigious White Raven catalogue 2021 and also won him the Hedwig Anuar Children's Book Award 2022. His recent publications include two graphic novels: Mr Goodchild (2021) and The Visitor (2022). Through these two books, J.H. Low explores existential issues with the picture book form and challenges conventional notion that the picture book is only for children’s consumption.
J.H. Low has a BA (Hons) in Fine Art, a MA in Children’s Book Illustration, and a PhD in Art.
Melanie Lee (Singapore)
Melanie Lee is the author of the award-winning middle-grade graphic novel series, Amazing Ash & Superhero Ah Ma and picture book series, The Adventures of Squirky the Alien. She also wrote Out & About in Singapore, a travel guide series for children. She is a part-time communications and creative writing lecturer at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.
Jack Wong (Canada)
Jack Wong (黃雋喬) was born in Hong Kong and raised in Vancouver. In 2010, he left behind a life as a bridge engineer to pursue his Bachelor of Fine Arts at NSCAD University in Kjipuktuk / Halifax, Nova Scotia; he has called the east coast of Canada home ever since. Working as a children’s author/illustrator, Jack seeks to share his winding journey with young readers so that they may embrace the unique amalgams of experiences that make up their own lives.
His debut picture book, When You Can Swim, received a Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, a Governor General’s Literary Award, the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, and was a finalist for the Ezra Jack Keats Award. His second picture book, The Words We Share, received an Atlantic Book Award and was shortlisted for the Ontario Library Association’s Blue Spruce Award. His other titles include All That Grows (Groundwood), and forthcoming titles from Scholastic and Abrams Books for Young Readers.