Montpelier, VT— The winner of the Katherine Paterson Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing is Liz Cook from Roslindale, Massachusetts; the editor of Hunger Mountain: the VCFA Journal of the Arts announced today.

Liz Cook’s short story for young adults, “Crazy Cat,” has earned her a $1,000 prize and publication in Hunger Mountain, the national arts journal published at Vermont College of Fine Arts.

“We received 300 entries—and the talent and dedication apparent in those entries was overwhelming,” says Miciah Bay Gault, managing editor of Hunger Mountain.

Katherine Paterson, the award-winning author of Bridge to Terabithia (Crowell, 1977), judged the contest. Along with a first place winner, she chose three honorable mentions: Susan Hill Long from Portland, Oregon; for her middle grade novel excerpt “Tornado;” Emily Jiang from Palo Alto, California; for her young adult novel excerpt “Paper Daughter;” and Tricia Springstubb from Cleveland Heights, Ohio; for her story for young children “No Mistake.” Each honorable mention receives $100 and publication on Hunger Mountain online.

Miciah Bay Gault called Liz Cook last week to let her know she’d won the much-publicized Katherine Paterson Prize. “She couldn’t believe it,” says Gault. “She was so excited to think that Katherine had read—and enjoyed—her writing.”

Hunger Mountain is a print and online journal of the arts showcasing fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, interviews, writing for children and young adults, and visual art.

Visit Hunger Mountain for more information about the Katherine Paterson Prize and three other writing prizes offered annually.

Vermont College of Fine Arts, which houses the editorial offices for Hunger Mountain, is the first college devoted entirely to low-residency, graduate fine arts programs, offering three MFA degrees in Writing, Writing for Children and Young Adults, and Visual Art.