Bala Kids and Khyentse Foundation are very pleased to announce that Carolyn Kanjuro, a freelance writer, editor, and playwright based in Boulder, Colorado, has been awarded this year’s Children’s Book Prize. Her submission, which teaches the seven-point meditation posture to kids ages three to five, will be a wonderful addition to Bala Kids, a new imprint of Shambhala Publications. Bala Kids and Khyentse Foundation are thrilled to honor Kanjuro’s talent for presenting traditional Buddhist teachings to children in a genuine way that appeals to a wide readership.

Bala Kids plans to publish the book in the fall of 2019. “Carolyn’s playful, rhythmic, and engaging style, coupled with her adherence to authentic Buddhist practice, made her stand out amongst the more than 300 submissions,” said Casey Kemp, Bala Kids editor and one of the judges for the prize.

A heartfelt thank you to all who submitted their work. We are profoundly moved by the care and thoughtfulness that was put into each entry. “Khyentse Foundation is so pleased with this outcome, and we encourage writers, illustrators, and supporters to continue to develop books and resources for children,” said Cangioli Che, the executive director of Khyentse Foundation.

Khyentse Foundation and Bala Kids plan to continue this prize in the future. The next official call for submissions will be announced in early 2019, with an entry deadline of February 15, 2020.

About the Winner:
Carolyn Kanjuro entered the path of the dharma after meeting Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche at the age of nine. For eleven years, she was a director and playwright for Golden Key Theater, a group of young performers in Halifax, Nova Scotia, producing original plays each year. She served as Creative Director and an audio editor for Secrets of the World (published by Sounds True) and co-authored with Eddie Lenihan Meeting the Other Crowd: The Fairy Stories of Hidden Ireland (Tarcher/Putnam). She was the translator, student, and wife to kyudo master Kanjuro Shibata XX, Sensei, who passed away in 2013. She launched Chrysanthemum Books, which published Sei Ran: Sky Storm, a collection of calligraphies and teachings by Shibata Sensei, and a memoir entitled Yumi Dance: Chronicle of a Spiritual Emergency. Following Shibata Sensei’s passing, she has returned to her professional life as a freelance writer and editor in a variety of media.