New Pearson Prize for Young Adult Literature

Learning for a Cause founder and teacher Michael Ernest Sweet was disappointed when he began teaching and saw how barren Canadian classrooms tend to be - no books!

In an effort to bring books - hundreds of books - into his classroom for his students, who are often celebrated for the books they write through the Learning for a Cause Project, Sweet founded the Pearson Prize for Young Adult Literature.

"It is a win win situation for everyone" explained Sweet, "students get books sent to them to read and authors and publishers, especially the little guys, get to enter their books, free of charge, in an contest with meaning." Sweet claims the contest has immense credibility because the books are being judged by real high school students, actual young readers.

Mrs. Landon Pearson, a former Canadian senator, was on hand at the school for the launch. Mrs. Pearson also spoke to more than 250 of the students there about Children's Rights as part of the Learning for a Cause Citizenship Conference. The Hon. Mrs. Pearson was last at the school in 1976 when she opened the building bearing her father-in-laws name.

The prize will be awarded annually and consists of a trophy and books seals as well as a publicity package. "The major win will be the entitlement to claim the title of the prize. A gold seal bearing the Pearson Prize will mean that more than 100 high school students chose this book because they liked it. There is no politics here. It doesn't matter who you are, what you have written before or who you know. What matters is if kids like your book" said Sweet.

The Pearson Prize is open to any book appealing to an audience between 12-18 and published in English. Any country can enter. There are no fees you merely have to send two copies of your book along with the entry form available at the prize website http://www.pearsonprize.org/