June 8-12, 2020

Sponsored by PJ Library
with James Sturm 

Every month PJ Library mails out more than 240,000 picture books and middle-grade books for children ages 6 months to 12 years that focus on Jewish themes, subjects, and values. This summer, PJ Library is sponsoring a week-long intensive residency to help eight visual storytellers create a draft of a children’s book or graphic novel.

The weeklong residency will be held at The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS) in beautiful downtown White River Junction, Vermont and led by CCS cofounder James Sturm and other CCS faculty. In addition, we’ll hear from book agents, scholars, and publishers.

Admitted participants receive scholarships for the full cost of tuition, lodging and special events, as well as travel and food stipends.

Participant Biographies

Click here to see the 2019 Children’s Book Residency: Exploring Jewish Themes and Content Participant Biographies.

Location

The Center for Cartoon Studies, in the historic village of White River Junction, Vermont.

Guidelines

• Participants must be experienced writer-illustrators or cartoonists with demonstrated ability, strong portfolios (ideally including published books), and a clear project. Sorry, writers—if you don’t illustrate this residency isn’t for you.
• Projects for the week must focus on illustrated picture books or graphic novels with Jewish themes geared toward young children, early readers, or middle-grade readers up to age 11.

Application & Deadlines

Deadline to submit an application for the Children’s Book Residency is March 1, 2020.

Selections will be made by March 20, 2020.

Application checklist:

1. Contact details and social media
2. Description of your project, 200 words or less.
3. CV (Resume)
4. Sample of your most recent project or current work-in-progress. Format: PDF, maximum 12MB.
5. Click here to Apply Online for the Children’s Book Residency

May we suggest

We’re looking for fantastical folktales, heartwarming fiction, and inspiring non-fiction. In case you’re looking for suggestions, topics of particular interest to PJ Library include:

• Sephardic, Mizrachi and Ethiopian Jewish experience;
• Jewish holidays, especially Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah, Shavuot, and Sukkot;
• Humor;
• Explorations of Jewish values like tzedakah (charitable giving) and hakarat hatov (gratitude); and,
• Stories of global Jewish experiences including, for example, history, biography and other non-fiction.

We’re excited to hear what you’re dreaming up!

Criteria for Selection

Check out PJ’s Author Hub for further information about specific book needs and criteria for selection.

Questions

Please direct questions to info@cartoonstudies.org

A word from our sponsor

Projects created at the CCS Children’s Book Residency will be eligible for close review by the PJ staff and considered for distribution through either PJ Library or PJ Our Way.

PJ Library is a free program that sends families Jewish children’s books each month. Geared toward kids ages six months through 12-years-old, the stories share Jewish traditions, values, holidays and culture. Books also include parent guides and activities that encourage families to explore the joys of Jewish life together. PJ Library stories invite questions and conversation about what being Jewish means for families, regardless of their observance or knowledge. As a global program, PJ Library’s families reflect the great diversity of Jewish life around the world.

About The Center for Cartoon Studies

The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS) offers a two-year course of study that centers on the creation and dissemination of comics, graphic novels and other manifestations of the visual narrative. Experienced and internationally recognized cartoonists, writers, and designers teach classes. CCS programs include a two-year Master of Fine Arts degree, One- and Two-year certificates in cartooning, and annual summer workshops. The school is located in historic downtown village of White River Junction, Vermont.