Oz, NZ authors and illustrators nominated for 2014 Astrid Lindgren Award

Friday, 11 October 2013 Books+Publishing

Six Australians and two New Zealanders have been nominated for the 2014 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world’s largest prize for children’s and young adult literature.

Australian authors Ursula Dubosarsky, Mem Fox, Morris Gleitzman and Melina Marchetta, and Australian illustrators Sonia Kretschmar and Marc Martin, are among the 238 nominees for the 2014 award. Dubosarsky, Gleitzman and Marchetta were also nominated last year.

New Zealand author Joy Cowley and author and illustrator Lynley Dodd are also in the running for the award, which carries with it a cash prize of five million krona (approximately A$813,000). Both Cowley and Dodd were nominated for the 2013 award, which was presented to Argentinian illustrator and performing artists Isol.

The winner of the 2014 award will be announced on 25 March in Stockholm to coincide with the 2014 Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

Two Australian authors have previously won the Astrid Lindgren Award, which is designed to promote interest in children’s and young adult literature and to strengthen children’s rights around the world. Australian author and illustrator Shaun Tan won the award in 2011 and author Sonya Hartnett won the award in 2008.

A complete list of the nominees for the 2014 award is available online here.

Category: Local news