Press release -
Nominees for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2021
In 2021, 263 candidates are in the running for the world’s largest children’s literature award (worth SEK 5m, USD 513k). The ALMA list is one of the most comprehensive lists of the world's foremost living children's book creators and reading promoters. Among the 263 names on the list is next year's laureate whose identity will be announced on the 13th of April 2021.
“Now more than ever, children and young people need access to literature that puts the world in perspective. The ALMA list has a fantastic breadth, quality and diversity”, says jury chairman Boel Westin.
Here are the nominated candidates 2021
This year's nominations include 263 candidates from 69 countries, many of whom are new to the list. For those who want to keep up to date with children's and YA literature in the world, the list is invaluable.
Countries with the most nominees:
1. United Kingdom (20)
2. Sweden (14)
3. Norway (12)
4. Iran / France / Russia / USA (10)
5. Netherlands / Portugal / Germany (7)
“The ALMA list contains both living legends and future stars. Their works contain wonderful adventures and everyday observations full of emotion and psychological insight, brilliant visual art and humorous masterpieces”, says jury member and author Mårten Sandén.
The list also includes reading promotion activities from several continents whose work fulfils a critically important function for the future of children’s literature globally.
“Reading promotion activities can never stop, the work needs to be constantly renewed. The list can be seen as inspiration in this crucially valuable and concrete work”, says jury member Annika Edlund, who works as a children’s librarian at Grubbe Library in Umeå.
More than a hundred international nomination organisations have put forward candidates for the 2021 award. The ALMA jury's task is now to evaluate and weigh up the diverse work of the nominees against each other.
For further information about this year’s nominees and the work of the ALMA jury, please contact:
Mariella Kucer, Communication Officer
Phone: +46765401017
Email: mariella.kucer@alma.se
Topics
The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA) is the world's largest award for children's and young adult literature. The award, which amounts to SEK 5 million, is given annually to a single laureate or to several. Authors, illustrators, oral storytellers and reading promoters are eligible. The award is designed to promote interest in children's and young adult literature. The UN convention of rights of the child is the foundation of our work. An expert jury selects the laureate(s) from candidates nominated by institutions and organisations all over the world. The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award was founded by the Swedish government in 2002 and is administrated by the Swedish Arts Council.
