The AJL Sidney Prize
Each year the AJL awards a prize to the book that is the best title in a particular category. This book is chosen by a panel of SHOT members, and the author receives both a cash award and a plaque. Winners are listed here and on the AJL website. In addition to the Sydney Taylor Book Awards, the AJL offers several other prizes for literary submissions. To find out more about these prizes and to submit your work, visit the AJL submissions page.
WINNER 2024: The Book of Affections: A Family Story in Two Voices by Elizabeth Eyre (Feminist Press)
A captivating narrative of two families’ experiences of Rosh Hashanah and the Lunar New Year—a Chinese Jewish family celebrates in fall, a Vietnamese family in spring—in this story filled with warmth and joy. With illustrative style reminiscent of paper cutting traditions, this book shows how the observance of these holidays can bring people together across cultures and faiths.
This annual prize, named for a 19th-century writer and historian of the South, is presented by Mercer University’s Spencer B. King Center for Southern Studies in partnership with the American Studies Association. The prize recognizes scholarly works that further the literary, cultural and intellectual legacy of Southern literature. The prize is accompanied by a $25,000 award to support research and writing on any aspect of Southern culture, society or history.
The Hillman Foundation presents monthly Sidney Prizes for journalism that serves the common good. The call for entries for the 2025 Hillman Prizes will open on November 12, 2024.
Each month we feature a different piece of journalism that addresses a nominated question. The winning article, which is chosen by the committee, will be published on our site along with the nominations.
In our age of short attention spans and information overload, the art of long form writing is more important than ever. Essays become op-eds. Op-eds become blog posts. Blog posts get shorter and shorter. And when it comes to fiction, it seems like we’ve all gotten into the habit of writing a thousand words in a tweet. The Sidneys stand athwart technology, yelling stop. Each year, the awards honor some of the most thoughtful examples of long-form thought and writing in our field.