The Percy FitzPatrick Award, in recognition of author Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, was initiated in 1970 for the best South African children's book in English. Initiated in 1970 by the South African Library Association (SALA), initially only books written and published in South Africa could qualify. Since most children's authors published with international publishers, there were few acceptable submissions in the early years. In 1977, it was decided to broaden the criteria to include books written by South Africans, or from a South African perspective.