Australian writer, artist and now filmmaker, Shaun Tan, has just been announced as recipient of the 2011 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Brilliant! I think I have to go away and read The Red Tree again. And The Lost Thing. And, oh yes, The Arrival. Warmest congratulations, Shaun — you really do deserve it!
The ALMA is the world’s largest prize for children’s and young adult literature and is awarded annually to a single recipient or to several. Authors, illustrators, oral storytellers and those active in reading promotion may be rewarded. The award is designed to promote interest in children’s and young adult literature, and in children’s rights, globally. An expert jury selects the winners from candidates nominated by institutions and organisations worldwide. The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is administered by the Swedish Arts Council.
Kirstyn McDermott 