IBBY announces the Shortlist for the 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Award
The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) has announced the shortlist for the 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Award. Established in 1956, the IBBY Hans Christian Andersen Award, is the world’s most prestigious international children’s book award. Given every other year, the Awards recognize lifelong achievement and are presented to an author and an illustrator whose complete works have made an important, lasting contribution to children’s literature. Past author winners include Cao Wenxuan (China), Astrid Lindgren (Sweden), Tove Jansson (Finland), and Margaret Mahy (New Zealand). The illustrator winners include: Květa Pacovská (Czech Republic), Maurice Sendak (USA), Suzy Lee (Republic of Korea), Farshid Mesghali (Iran), Albertine (Switzerland) and Roger Mello (Brazil).
This year’s shortlist is:
Authors
Marina Colasanti from Brazil
Heinz Janisch from Austria
Lee Geum-yi from the Republic of Korea
Bart Moeyaert from Belgium
Timo Parvela from Finland
Edward van de Vendel from the Netherlands
Illustrators
Cai Gao from China
Iwona Chmielewska from Poland
Nelson Cruz from Brazil
Elena Odriozola from Spain
Sydney Smith from Canada
Paloma Valdivia from Chile
The ten-member 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Award Jury comprises Evelyn Arizpe (Mexico/UK), Brenda Dales (USA), Sabine Fuchs (Austria), Diana Laura Kovach (Argentina), Shereen Kreidieh (Lebanon), Bettina Kümmerling-Meibauer (Germany), Jaana Pesonen (Finland), Tan Fengxia (China), Pavle Učakar (Slovenia) and Morgane Vasta (France) and was led by Jury President Liz Page. Carolina Ballester acted as Jury Secretary.
The criteria used to assess the nominations include aesthetic and literary quality as well as the freshness and innovation of the body of work; the ability to see the child’s point of view and to stretch their curiosity. All the nominees were assessed on their lifetime achievement to date and the continuing relevance of their works to children and young people.
After the meeting Liz Page said, ‘It was an honour to work with such a professional and remarkable jury. Despite the challenging task of assessing such a diverse list of nominees, the meetings and discussions were harmonious and enlightening. In the strained atmosphere of today’s world, it is reassuring to know that barriers to understanding one another do not need to exist between us. With this exceptional shortlist of 12 creators of works for children and young adults, we hope that young people everywhere will learn to understand others and care for them.’
The two winners will be announced Monday, 8 April 2024 at the Bologna International Children’s Book Fair. The medals and diplomas will be presented to the winners during the 39th IBBY Congress in Trieste, Italy, 30 August to 1 September 2024.
