Gawad Kabataan

Gawad Kabataan Para Sa Panitikan

Or the Filipino Youth Awards For Literature, which is an offshoot of the Pinoy Readers' Choice Awards. The latter initially had a children's/YA literature category but the awards committee decided that it was a little unfair that adult readers could go and vote for their favorite books while younger readers were less likely to go online and fill out voting forms. Hence, the Gawad Kabataan.

The goals of the Gawad Kabataan Para Sa Panitikan are:
  • To support young Filipino readers and organizations concerned with children's literacy in the Philippines.
  • To encourage the formation of book reading groups or book clubs for children and young people in schools and communities.
  • To foster an active interest in and sense of involvement with literature among young Filipino readers.
  • To promote the idea that talented writers begin as talented readers.

The Gawad Kabataan Para Sa Panitikan will be officially launched during the Read or Die Convention 2007. The first award ceremonies for the Gawad will take place on February 2008.

About the Gawad Kabataan

The concept behind the awards is somewhat similar to the Red House Children's Book Awards. We will be networking with children's book groups all over the country, give them free or discounted copies of nominated books along with review sheets, and, based on reader response, come up with a list of favorite and recommended books, after which a final round of voting will determine overall winners. The readers themselves will therefore be choosing their writers and their books.

Find out more about the awards.