New Kid's Lit Prize

I was delighted to learn of a new book prize -- the Bolen Prize for Children's Literature -- for children's authors residing in Victoria (there are a fair number of them). I duly sent the press release to my Victoria writerly friends (and colleagues as we have a fair number of books by The Editors of YES Mag) and then I was alerted to this bit of fine print:

5. The work being submitted must:
a. Be a children’s picture book, children’s fiction or young adult fiction

What? (Insert expletive of your choice here.) Now I adore Bolen's Books. I grew up with them -- literally; I grew a few blocks away and spent much of my youth at the Hillside Mall -- and I still adore them and visit them whenever I'm in the city. But why oh why couldn't you insert just one more word in those submission guidelines?: non-fiction.

One day I will do a rant on how I'm sure that children's non-fiction writers are the bottom of the pile -- if we're even remembered at all -- when it comes to the hierarchy of writers and writing. But not today. I will behave and thank Bolen's for this $5000 annual boost to the bank account of some well-deserving Victoria (fiction) writer.