Mariajo Illustrajo tells us about the fantastic success of her first picture book, Flooded, which has just won the 2023 Klaus Flugge Prize! The prize is awarded for the most exciting and promising newcomer to children’s picture book illustration.
‘In 2020, I wrote an interview for the Association of Illustrators having just been named as the New Talent Overall Winner at the World Illustration Awards with the then unpublished work of Flooded.
I find myself, almost 3 years on, reading those words and I can’t believe how much my life and career has changed since then.
When I won that prize I was still studying my Masters at the Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University, and getting published was just a dream that may or may not be fulfilled in the future. However, this dream came true much earlier than I thought, as not long after the win I signed my first contract as an author and illustrator to publish my book Flooded with Frances Lincoln, an imprint of Quarto.
It hit the bookshops in April 2022 and since then has been a tsunami of unexpected success.
Before it was published, it was the third most voted for project at the Unpublished Picturebooks Showcase (@dpictus) and the artwork was longlisted by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair and Nami Concours.
Since being published it has been shortlisted for the Waterstones Prize, longlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal, and won the LIJ in Spain, the English Association Picture Book awards, UKLA Awards and most recently the Klaus Flugge Prize.
Winning this prize in particular has been very special to me as I’ve been following the award for years and I simply cannot believe that this year I was fortunate enough to win it. The recognition of such a prestigious prize has really boosted my confidence.
Along with all the prizes and nominations, Flooded has also already had 20 co-editions. It’s difficult to believe and understand all the success behind my book. Working on the new books has been a bit daunting at times, because even though I don’t expect the same level of success for all of them, it’s inevitable to wonder if they are as good or whether people will even like them? But for now, I can just be proud of what I’ve achieved and hope that you’ll like the books that are coming next!
Lost is already out in the shops and I hate love books is coming in February 2024. I can’t wait to see what you think of them!’
See the whole KFP Shortlist here.