We Belong on the Page Book Cover Contest

Rhode Island teens fight the erasure of books and identities

Thousands of books have been removed from American libraries and schools or threatened with censorship over the last few years.. The majority of these books feature LGBTQ+ or BIPOC characters, or address issues of inequality or discrimination based on marginalized identities including race, religion, disability, sexuality, national origin, or gender. Sweeping book bans in 30 states have impacted the sales of these diverse books to the point where some may go out of print. We want to fight back against this erasure by celebrating these books and their on-the-page representation.

Rhode Island students in grades 7-12 are invited to redesign the cover of a banned or challenged book. 

Everyone who enters will have a chance to win prizes.

1) All submissions must be the work of Rhode Island residents or students enrolled in Rhode Island schools in grades 7 through 12 or equivalent for the 2023-2024 academic year.

2) We Belong on the Page is an all-ages exhibit, designed to highlight the importance of books with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ representation.. Your cover redesign should focus on issues of identity and representation, or other aspects of the book that make it important to you, while avoiding graphic violence, nudity, and language that would be inappropriate for young children. 

3) All covers must be your own work. They can be drawn by hand and then scanned or created in a graphic design or digital art program. Please only use photos you have taken yourself to avoid copyright infringement. 

4) No AI generated images will be accepted.

5) Submissions should be submitted as a pdf with a final size of 8.5x11 at 350 dpi.

 6) Submissions must be completed and submitted by midnight on March 1, 2024.
 

All qualifying entries will be included in an exhibit that will debut at the We Are ALL Readers book festival in North Kingstown on April 6, 2024. The We Belong on the Page exhibit will then travel to libraries around the state. 

Everyone whose work is chosen for the exhibit will be invited to an opening reception on April 6, where you will get to mingle with published authors and illustrators and talk about your work.