MER Award

Joan Rankin and Wendy Hartmann win MER award

Media24 Books Literary and Jan Rabie Rapport Awards (formerly known as the Via Afrika Literary Awards) were announced at an award ceremony on Friday 10 June 2011.

These esteemed prizes are awarded annually for works published in the previous year and aim to acknowledge and applaud excellence in local literature. Eighteen judges from various spheres were appointed to adjudicate the entries received across the various categories. The following two children’s book awards were given:

• The M.E.R Prize for best youth novel (ages 8 to 16, however not exclusive).
• The M.E.R. Prize for best illustrated children's book (ages 0 to 8, however not exclusive).

The prize money is R35 000 per category. For the M.E.R. Prize for children’s illustrated books, the prize money is divided between the author and the illustrator.

Media24 Books anced the following short lists:

M.E.R Prize for best youth novel (in alphabetical order):

Sidekick by Adeline Radloff, published by Tafelberg
Speurhond Willem op reis by Elizabeth Wasserman, published by Tafelberg
Willem Poprok by Derick van der Walt, published by Tafelberg

The M.E.R. Prize for best illustrated children's book (in alphabetical order):

Just Sisi /Net Sisi by Wendy Hartmann, illustrated by Joan Rankin, published by Human & Rousseau
Thandiwe's Choice / Thandiwe besluit by Mari Grobler, illustrated by Elizabeth Pulles, published by Tafelberg
Nici's Pocket Presents / Sandra se seepresente by Marion Drew, illustrated by Vian Oelofsen, published by Tafelberg