Leapfrog Press

From Leapfrogpress.com:

The First-Prize winner in the Children’s Fiction Division is Mick Carlon for the middle-grade novel Riding on Duke’s Train.

In the words of the judges:

“A wonderful voice all its own… [S]trong command of voice, period and ethnic dialect, and clear love and in-depth knowledge of Duke Ellington and his band.”

“An excellent, uplifting story with something real to say.”

Leapfrog Press is delighted to honor its 2010 Fiction Contest winners. Twenty winning manuscripts were chosen out of 448 adult fiction entries, and seven winners out of 153 middle grade / YA manuscripts. Manuscripts were judged “blind” (judges did not know the names of the authors or any other information). Manuscripts were submitted from 22 countries, giving the judges a delightful diversity of style and theme.

Read about Mick’s book at