Time for some fun culture for the kids? In March 2002, just over a month after the death of the children's book champion Astrid Lindgren, the Swedish government established a literature prize focussing on literature for children and young people. The prize is called ALMA, or Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, and its aim is to promote the right of children and young people to high-quality culture, as well as literature, in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. With a prize money of SEK 5 million The ALMA Prize is the top prize for children's and young people's literature. The annual winner is either an author, illustrator or an organisation that actively works to benefit children and young people. young people's reading habits, and also works in a humane and democratic spirit, a la Astrid Lindgren.
It is now 19 years since Lindgren passed away, but her life and work are very much alive, not least in the minds of the authors, illustrators and organisations that have been awarded the prize over the years. In the spring of 2021, the French author Jean-Claude Mourlevat will be announced as the winner of the prize, but unfortunately none of his books have yet been translated into Swedish. However, there are plenty of other books to choose from among the previous winners.
The winning authors, illustrators and organisations span the globe, targeting children from newborns to young adults. Below is a selection of the winners and their titles, starting in our own country. Perfect culture for kids
Barbro Lindgren, Sweden, winner 2014
Barbro Lindgren is not related to Astrid Lindgren, but her books for children and young people are in the same league as Lindgren on A. Barbro Lindgren writes books for children aged 0 to 12, the best known being Loranga, Masarin and Dartanjang and the Max books. In 1991, Barbro Lindgren and illustrator Eva Eriksson published the book Titta Max grav, which is the first Swedish picture book for adults.
Watch Hamlet! (2017)
Shakespeare's cardinal drama Hamlet is pictionaryised in this book, which is great for children of all ages, whether they want to look at Anna Höglund's stunning illustrations or understand the existential questions the text discusses. To read or not to read is not an issue here, with the help of the illustrations and Lindgren's interpretation of the text, the book is glued to the reader's hand. The book touches on the existential topics, which opens up for both discussion and learning.
Kitty Crowther, Belgium, winner 2010
Kitty Crowther writes and illustrates her own children's books aimed primarily at children aged 3-6, but she has also illustrated children's books by authors such as Ulf Stark and Astrid Lindgren. One of the reasons why Crowther was awarded the prize in 2010 was that humanism and compassion are very much present.
My friend Jim (2017), 3-6 years
My Friend Jim is about Jack the crow who wants to discover the world, he turns to the sea where he meets Jim the seagull. Jack and Jim become close friends and when Jim discovers Jack's good storytelling skills, word spreads about the crow. The book is both about two guys falling in love with each other, and about the power of literature.
Baek Heena, South Korea, won 2020
Baek Heena opens the world to her books through her detailed illustrations and astonishing imagination. With hints of magic and the supernatural, Heena shares a wide palette of imagination that only children can relate to.
Molnbullar (2019), 3-6 years
One morning, two kittens wake up to find a piece of a cloud stuck in a tree branch. They take the cloud down and bring it home. The cats' mum uses a piece of the cloud as an ingredient in her buns. When the cats eat the buns, or cloud buns, they start to fly. This book is guaranteed to bring lots of laughter and fun.
Sonya Hartnett, Australia, won in 2008
Sonya Hartnett's writing life began as a published author at the age of 15, and since then she has published some twenty titles. The books are very much about the human relationship with nature and the world around us. The books are mainly aimed at budding teenagers.
Arja and Råttiz (2010), 6-9 years
The book's main character is called Hanna and she has named her hands Arja and Råttiz. Arja and Råttiz play a lot of guilty and innocent pranks, including pinching Hanna's little brother. One day a black line is painted on the wall and when Hanna's father accuses her of this, Arja and Råttiz are blamed instead, even though Hanna is fully aware that this is not true.
