The young Honduran writer, Lizzi Bustillo, won the National Children's Narrative Award. Organized by the Cultural Center of Spain in Tegucigalpa (CCET), the Embassy of Spain in Honduras and Santillana Honduras, the 10th edition of the National Children's Narrative Prize was held on Tuesday, Oct. 26.  

"I found the contest by searching on the Internet, I read the call for entries and it seemed like an excellent opportunity to start in the world of writing. Thank God I got it right and I am starting to publish this book," said the contest winner. According to her, thanks to children's literature "we understand what children's minds are like, how they act and why they act."

At 19, Bustillo entered the world of children's literature with her work Una amiga verde (A Green Friend), a novel that deals with the theme of caring for and preserving the environment. In this regard, she commented that although she wrote her story, she did not consider herself a writer, since she was "afraid" that the work she published would not be "good enough." 

"But by winning I think I exceeded my own expectations," said the young Honduran woman.

Bustillo's first novel will be released in print under the title, Loqueleo, according to David Izquierdo, director of the Reading Area for North Central America at Editorial Santillana. He said that the winning work is aimed at "a children's segment, small readers or initial readers," and that it represents a good opportunity to promote "the arts and specifically literary creation and composition."

According to a press release from the CCET, the National Prize for Children's and Young People's Fiction is held every year with the aim of stimulating literary creation aimed at children and young people.