Finlandia Junior Literary Prize

The Finlandia Junior Prize, established in 1997, is awarded by the Finnish Book Foundation in recognition of the best Finnish book for children and young people. The award sum is 30,000 euros. The Board of the Finnish Book Foundation shall set up a three-member award jury with the task of nominating a minimum of three and a maximum of six candidates for the prize, and of selecting the final prize-winner from the candidates nominated.

Award guidelines for the Finlandia Junior Prize

On 23 August 2000 the Board of the Finnish Book Foundation approved the following guidelines concerning presentation of the Finlandia Junior Prize:

1.
The Finlandia Junior Prize may be granted in recognition of the best Finnish book for children and young people.

2.
The prize is awarded by the Finnish Book Foundation. The award sum is 26,000 euros.

The Board of the Finnish Book Foundation shall set up a three-member selection jury for each award with the task of nominating a minimum of three and a maximum of six candidates for the prize, and also the person who shall select the final prize-winner from the candidates nominated.

The selection jury must be nominated and its names made public at least three months prior to the award ceremony. The secretary of the jury shall be a representative of the Foundation who shall not have the power to vote in jury meetings.

Authors or publishers wishing to put forward their published works as candidates for the Finlandia Junior Prize must submit a copy of their work to each member of the jury by the date determined by the Foundation. A copy of the book must also be sent to the Foundation´s office, and a registration fee - the size of which the Board shall decide annually - paid into the Foundation´s account.

For the same registration fee the book may aspire to the Finlandia and Tieto-Finlandia prizes, if the publisher so desires. In such case the publisher shall send separate copies of the work to the appropriate jury members.

5.
If the book has several authors whose input has materially affected the artistic outcome forming the justification for the award, the task of the publisher is to ensure that the authors agree amongst themselves on distribution of the award sum. The Foundation shall pay the award sum only upon receipt of a copy of the authors´ signed agreement.

6.
In nominating the candidates for the prize the jury shall take note of the new books for children and young people published since the nominations of the previous year´s jury.

7.
The jury shall endeavour to reach a unanimous decision. Should the jury fail to reach a consensus, a vote shall be held if one member of the jury so demands. The jury shall provide a justification for its decision.

8.
The substance of conversations or votes held during jury meetings shall not be made public. The candidates for the prize, the winner, and the reasons for the decisions shall be revealed at an event to be organized by the Finnish Book Foundation.

9.
These award guidelines are subject to alteration by a decision of the Board of the Finnish Book Foundation.