One of my highlights from the 2010 Bologna Book Fair was attending the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award announcement and seeing the winner, Kitty Crowther, who unbeknownst to us had been sitting next to us, accept the award. The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is announced every year in March and then in late spring, the ALMA winner visits Sweden and Europe to partake in Award Week: A Spotlight on Children’s Literature. This year Award Week will take place from May 23rd to June 1st and highlights will include:
May 25 ~ Meet Kitty Crowther, House of Culture, Stockholm, Sweden
“If I had to choose one word to describe myself, it would be storyteller,” says Kitty Crowther. Listen to her presentation of her work and her inspiration. Kitty will be joined on stage by illustration expert Ulla Rhedin and Johanna Lindbäck, one of Sweden’s top literature bloggers, for a program that will showcase Kitty’s work and contextualise her inspiration and development as an artist.
May 26 ~ Presentation at the International Youth Library, Münich, Germany
After a welcome speech by head librarian Dr. Christiane Raabe, German illustrator Judith Drews will give a lecture on the work and importance of Kitty Crowther. Kitty will also present her work.
May 28 ~ Astrid Lindgren Conference, Vimmerby, Sweden
The bi-annual Astrid Lindgren conference in Astrid Lindgren’s childhood town, Vimmerby, gathers academics and scholars to discuss children’s literature and its development. Kitty Crowther will give the key-note address.
June 1 – Awards Ceremony, Stockholm Concert Hall, Stockholm, Sweden
This evening celebrates Kitty Crowther and her world of images and also spotlights the importance of children’s literature. The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award will be presented to Kitty Crowther in front of 1,000 invited guests. Kitty will receive the award amount of 5 million SEK (which makes the Astrid Lindregn Memorial Award the world’s largest children literature award) as well as an original work by Swedish illustrator Eva Lindström. The award will be presented by H.R.H. Princess Madeleine of Sweden.
For more information on the ALMA Award Week check out the ALMA blog.