Book in a Box Competition

Welcome to the new ‘Book in a Box’ competition, a journey of visual storytelling through a creative class and teacher collaboration resulting in a diorama of your chosen book.

A whole class effort, the competition will display the ingenuity and imagination of the students by representing a whole book or scene from the book, in a box.

The final display must be created using only recycled materials. Shortlisted entries will be displayed at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

How the Competition Works

• Decide as a class which book your school would like to represent. More than one class being taught by the same teacher, and/or from the same school can take part in the competition. But only ONE entry can be submitted per class.
• The book selected can be any age-appropriate book of your choice, either in Arabic or English. Keep in mind that the book should be culturally appropriate!
• After reading the book together, the teacher will help the class to assign different tasks to each class member.
• Use only recycled materials or materials that are found in nature by the students, such as sand, shells or driftwood.
• The whole class must work together as a team. The competition extends through Primary School only.
• Once the diorama is finalized, fill out the submission form below and upload images of the Book in a Box using it. The final date for submissions is Thursday, 19 January 2023.
• Teachers must upload a minimum of three, maximum of five images of their ‘Book in a Box’ project. Also include a short explanation in the space provided on the entry form detailing why you chose your book and what it represents.

How Your Entry Will Be Judged

The ‘Book in a Box’ projects will be judged on:

• creativity
• imagination
• originality
• use of recycled material
• relevance to a book or book scene

25 entries will be shortlisted by a panel of judges including a representative from Art Jameel Centre, a representative from Arcadia School (competition sponsor) and a selected Festival Author and Illustrator.

Shortlisted entries will be displayed at the Emirates LitFest, where the final judging and award ceremony will take place on Thursday, 2 February 2023.

Key Dates

The Emirates LitFest will take place 1-6 February, 2023.

How to Prepare For Your ‘Book in a Box’

• Choose a suitable book together and start gathering ideas.
• Ask students to collect recycled materials or natural materials that could be used.
• Divide the class into different sections so that they can all help with different parts of the competition (cutting, sticking, colouring, designing etc.).
• Prepare a short description of why you chose your book and what it represents. Remember that the judging will be on the creativity and visual impact of the diorama!

Terms and Conditions

• Participants must be full-time students in schools and a resident of the UAE, including home-school students.
• Only primary school student classes can enter the competition. More than one class being taught by the same teacher, and/or from the same school can take part in the competition. But only ONE entry can be submitted per class.
• The competition is open to students of all abilities, including people of determination. Please see details for Education for People of Determination on the official portal of the UAE government.
• Books chosen can be in Arabic or English language and must be age and culturally appropriate.
• Only entries using recycled or natural materials will be accepted and reviewed.
• Copyright of material submitted remains with the Emirates Literature Foundation.
• Work must be submitted by the teacher of the class with the work of that class only and using the official submission form. Entries received via email will not be accepted.
• The winning entrants agree to the Emirates Literature Foundation’s and Emirates Airline Festival of Literature’s use of their name and photographs in relation to related publicity material and activities. Schools and students should be aware that they might need to obtain parental consent for this.
• Entries must be received on or before the closing date of Thursday 19 January 2023.
• Judges’ decisions are final, and no correspondence will be entered into with regards to these decisions.
• Only the shortlisted teams will be notified in advance by email or telephone, in January 2023.

Please check that you have followed all the terms and conditions before submitting your entry.
The award ceremony will take place in February 2023 during the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

Enter the Competition

Registration is now closed. Please await for the launch date TBA soon!

See the 2023 Winners

Arcadia School

‘Book in a Box’ is kindly sponsored by Arcadia School, Dubai.

Arcadia School prides itself on providing an educational experience that brings learning to life, challenges our thinking, and shapes creative and confident students into life-long learners.