Highlights of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award shortlist (ALMA)

Children have the right to great stories

To lose yourself in a story is to find yourself in the grip of an irresistible power. A power that provokes thought, unlocks language and allows the imagination to roam free. The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award was created in 2002 by the Swedish government to promote every child’s right to great stories. This global award is given annually to a person or organisation for their outstanding contribution to children’s and young adult literature. With a prize of five million Swedish kronor, it is the largest award of its kind. Above all else, it highlights the importance of reading, today and for future generations.

Nominated candidates 2022

Have a look through the complete list of nominees for the 2022 award—a full 282 names from 71 countries including some of the world's foremost creators of literature for children and young people, as well as reading promoters.  In this post I highlight a few book creators that I have featured in my blog.

We are so proud here in Australia that two of our book creators have previously won the ALMA - Shaun Tan (2011) and Sonya Hartnett (2008). You can see other winners from past years here. 

Note the names I list here under each country heading are all incomplete (this post would be too long if I listed all 282 names) - these are just links to blog posts - you can see the full list of nominations for each country by clicking the link above. 

Australia

Jeannie Baker, Illustrator

Ursula Dubosarsky, Author

Susanne Gervay, Author (external link)

Indigenous Literacy Foundation, Organisation (external link)

Robert Ingpen, Author/Illustrator/Storyteller

Margo Lanagan, Author

Brazil

Roger Mello, Author/Illustrator

Canada

Isabelle Arsenault, Author/Illustrator

Deborah Ellis, Author

Robert Munsch, Author/Illustrator/Storyteller

Canada/Iran

Nahid Kazemi, Illustrator

Colombia

Ivar Da Coll, Author/Illustrator

Croatia

Dubravka Kolanović, Author

France

Timothée de Fombelle, Author

Ireland

Marie Louise Fitzpatrick, Author/Illustrator

PJ Lynch, Illustrator

Italy/France

Beatrice Alemagna, Author/Illustrator

Lithuania

Kęstutis Kasparavičius, Author/Illustrator

Russian Federation

Julia Gukova, Illustrator

Switzerland

Albertine, Illustrator

United Kingdom

Allan Ahlberg, Author

Malorie Blackman, Author

Quentin Blake, Author/Illustrator

Anthony Browne, Author

Frances Hardinge, Author

Shirley Hughes, Author/Illustrator

Katherine Rundell, Author

United Kingdom/South Africa

Beverley Naidoo, Author

United States

Laurie Halse Anderson, Author

Kate DiCamillo, Author

Nikki Grimes, Author (external link)

David Macaulay, Illustrator (external link)

Yuyi Morales, Author/Illustrator

Kadir Nelson, Author/Illustrator

Jason Reynolds, Author (external link)

Rick Riordan, Author

Raina Telgemeier, Author/Illustrator (external link)

Zimbabwe

Ken Wilson-Max, Illustrator (external link)