The short list of applicants for the "Little Nobel Prize" in literature does not include Russian writers and illustrators

COPENHAGEN. Andersen Literary Prize Short List Announced

The Hans Christian Andersen Prize and a gold medal with his profile have been awarded since 1956 for the best children’s book. After 10 years, a nomination appeared - the best illustrator. The founder of the prestigious literary award - writer, journalist and translator Jella Lepman - believed that books can inspire children, because their quality and content matter so much. There is a gold Andersen medal in Russia. Forty years ago, she was handed over to the outstanding illustrator Tatyana Mavrina.

Boris Zakhoder, Agniya Barto, Anatoly Aleksin, Irina Tokmakova received honorary diplomas. In the list of laureates of different years, names well known to the Russian reader are Astrid Lindgren, Tove Jansson, the first winner of the award, Eleanor Farjeon. And also those whose work in Russia is almost unknown. This applies equally to the nominees of this year, representing the latest trends in the development of modern children’s literature.

The long list of the Hans Christian Andersen Award included the name of Andrei Usachev, the author of Total Dictation 2016. In the short list, neither Usachev nor illustrator Mikhail Fedorov were included. This year, writers and artists from Europe, America and China will compete for victory in two categories. Among them - a classic of German literature and translator Miriam Pressler (Mirjam Pressler), American Lois Lowry (Lois Lowry), Ted van Lieshout from the Netherlands. The innovative works of the Danes Louis Jensen, the author of more than 70 books, constantly experimenting with vocabulary, style and structure of works, are compared with the works of Gogol and Andersen.

Closing the top five is one of the most famous children’s writers in China, a professor at Beijing University Cao Wenxuan. The names of the winners will be announced in early April in Bologna.

Elena Tanakova © Gallerix.ru