The relationship between the publishing industry and literary prizes in Mexican children’s literature: A case study of the SM awards El Barco de Vapor and Gran Angular (2008-2021)

Abstract

The present study focuses on prizing children’s literature in Mexico and the relationship that it has with
the publishing industry. I used the SM Awards Barco de Vapor and Gran Angular as case studies to
explore this relationship. Through descriptive statistical analysis and thematic analysis, I aimed to
explore the characteristics of a children’s literature award that is initiated and controlled by a publisher.
In particular, I wanted to 1) explore who is represented in the judging panels, and the elements that
might shape their criteria for selection (e.g. education, professional career, etcetera); 2) examine the
role of the publishing industry in the selection of the jury; 3) explore the implicit criteria that judges
might use to evaluate children’s literature; and 4) explore to what extent the criteria for selection are
shaped by the involvement of the publishing industry. I used a mixed-methods approach to have a
deeper understanding of the phenomenon. Through the quantitative and qualitative data I could observe
that Ediciones SM has significant power in the prizing process. The research also indicated that there
is some diversity in the type of judges selected, as well as their criteria for selection.