
Shoreline Alliance
Arts
The Tassy Walden Awards
for New Voices in Children's Literature
Image © Deborah Freedman, adapted from her book This House, Once, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2017

The Tassy Walden Awards for New Voices in Children’s Literature, launched in 2001, is an annual competition that encourages and nurtures the creation of exceptional books for children by unpublished Connecticut writers and illustrators. The competition includes five award categories: Picture Book (text only), Illustrated Picture Book (text and illustrations), Children’s Book Illustrator’s Portfolio, Middle Grade Novel, and Young Adult Novel.
Illustration by Leslie Connor

2023 Tassy Sponsors
Doe & Tom Boyle
Leslie Bulion
Leslie Connor
Thea & John Guidone



Illustration by Marcela Staudenmaier
A Celebration of Tassy Success Stories
The Shoreline Arts Alliance and Tassy Founders celebrate the work of all Tassy Award winners and finalists who are now published. Please enjoy a visit to their websites and blogs.
Alice C. Bauer, Leslie Bulion, Leslie Connor, Abi Cushman, Maggie Dana, Stacy DeKeyser, Betsy Devany, Frank Dormer, Julia Denos, Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo, Deborah Freedman, Thea Guidone, Janae Marks, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Rolandas Kiaulevicius, Amanda Marrone, Marilyn Taylor McDowell, Stacy Barnett Mozer, Nina Nelson, Nicole Panteleakos, Steven Parlato, Martha Seif Simpson, Joyce A. Stengel, Jane Sutcliffe, Cat Urbain, Brenna Burns-Yu, Karen Fortunati. Sam Taylor, Nancy Tandon, Anne Kubitsky, Gabriella Svenningsen
These winners and finalists have self-published their award-winning submissions:
J.M. Datillo, Cheryl Kling, Jason Marchi