Lee & Low Books is thrilled to announce Don’t Feed the Hungry Ghosts, co-written by Connie Chang and J.M. Blakemore, as the 2024 winner of the New Visions Award.
The New Visions Award is given biennially to an unpublished writer of color or Native/Indigenous writer for a middle grade or young adult manuscript. Founded in 2012, the award encourages and supports authors from backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in publishing.
Don’t Feed the Hungry Ghosts is a middle grade novel that follows Imo and her recently deceased best friend Cormy, who has come back to the plane of the living during the Hungry Ghost Festival. Together, they ransack grocery stores and dim sum restaurants in the hopes of feeding Cormy enough food to remember why he came back to find Imo. Cormy and Imo must rush to regain Cormy’s memories before being consumed by a malevolent poop ghost.
“Connie grew up with a ghost-story-obsessed mother whose not-always-age-appropriate repertoire included hair-raising hungry ghosts, among other horrifying creatures from Asian folklore,” winners Chang and Blakemore shared. “We’re thrilled at the opportunity to introduce the Hungry Ghost Festival and aspects of Asian folklore to young readers who may not have encountered hungry ghosts before.”
The co-authors wanted to tap into kids’ love of horror to get them reading while also exploring deeper topics.
“It’s our deepest hope that the book’s Asian-American perspective on the universal themes of friendship and grief, paired with a healthy dose of (sometimes toilet) humor, resonates with readers from all backgrounds.”
Chang and Blakemore receive a publication contract and a $15,000 advance. Winners are also given close publishing mentorship as they work to develop their book for publication.
Previous New Visions winners include Rebel Seoul by Axie Oh; Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar; Twin Flames by Olivia Abtahi; and Montgomery and the Case of the Golden Key by Tracy Occomy Crowder.
