The Swedish picture book artist Eva Lindström has been awarded the renowned Astrid Lindgren Memorial Prize this year. This was announced by the responsible prize jury on Tuesday in Stockholm.
This is the second time in its 20-year history that the world’s most valuable children’s and young adult literature prize has stayed in Sweden, the country of origin of the children’s book author Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002).
“Eva Lindström’s mysterious world of images is constantly changing. Trees move abroad, dogs take on huge proportions, and objects disappear only to suddenly reappear,” read jury chairman Boel Westin, explaining why Lindström was chosen this year became. With quick brushstrokes and dense colors, Lindström creates an ambiguous dialogue in text and image, in which the boundaries between children, adults and animals are fluid. With deep seriousness and wild humor, the big questions in life are dealt with.
Lindström was born in 1952 in Västerås, Sweden. She lives in the capital Stockholm. When Westin called her, she had just returned from a walk with her dog – and was audibly surprised by the good news. “Thank you, thank you very much! I’m so surprised!” she said while trying to find the right words. She is scheduled to receive the award on May 30 from the hands of Swedish Crown Princess Victoria.
In her native Sweden, Lindström has already received several awards. Her works are hardly available in German. Years ago she released “So lucky! Stories from Mats and Roj” and “Max the Badger”.
The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award – often simply abbreviated to Alma – is the world’s most valuable award for children’s and young adult literature, with prize money totaling five million Swedish crowns (around 480,000 euros). Last year it went to the French children’s book author Jean-Claude Mourlevat.
The Swede Astrid Lindgren (“Pippi Longstocking”, “Karlsson vom Dach”) died in early 2002 at the age of 94. That same year, the Swedish government created an award on its behalf to honor individuals and organizations who, in the spirit of Lindgren, contribute to the importance of literature for children and young people around the world. The Swedish Cultural Council is responsible for the award.
In 2017, the German illustrator and children’s book author Wolf Erlbruch was honored with the Alma, three years earlier the only Swede Barbro Lindgren, who incidentally is not related to Astrid Lindgren. This year, a total of 282 candidates and organizations from 71 countries were nominated for the award, including seven Germans, three Austrians and five illustrators or writers from Switzerland. (dpa)