Templar acquires illustration prize winner

Templar Publishing, an imprint of Bonnier Books UK, has signed Emma Chadwick, the illustrator who won a competition launched by the publisher last year.

Chadwick won the 2018 Templar Illustration Prize with her picture book about a dragon called Douglas, which will be published on the Templar list in 2021. Editorial director Katie Haworth acquired world rights to Douglas and the Land of Faraway directly from the author.

Templar has now opened submissions to the 2019 prize and is asking illustrators to submit materials on the theme of ‘Where I Come From’. The book can be aimed at pre-school children up to 12 years, and be either story or non-fiction based.

The shortlist and winner will be chosen by a team of judges, including Templar illustrators Frann Preston-Gannon, Jonny Duddle, Lara Hawthorne and Lucia Gaggiotti.

Lisa Edwards, executive publisher at Templar Publishing, said: “Emma Chadwick delivered such a perfectly realised dragon-themed story to us in our inaugural prize that we have great pleasure in publishing it on our picture books list. For 2019, the theme is intended as a starting point for illustrators in developing their concept for submission. We are looking for creative interpretations but what ultimately matters is a high standard of illustration, a well-crafted concept and originality.”