An Award for Marieke!

Congratulations to Marieke, whose picture book The Different Tree, written by Elisa Boxer and published by Reycraft, has been named a winner of the 2025 Maine Literary Awards in the Children’s Book category. The story follows an oak tree that dares to grow at its own pace, offering a gentle, poetic message about individuality and resilience. Marieke’s intricate, atmospheric illustrations were praised for bringing the woodland setting and emotional depth of the story vividly to life. Selected from over 300 submissions by a panel of more than 30 jurors, this award celebrates outstanding literary achievement from authors and illustrators connected to Maine. You can find out more about the awards and other winners via the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance.