Hans Christian Andersen Award
The Hans Christian Andersen Award is the premier international accolade for children's literature, recognizing the exceptional contributions of authors and illustrators. Awarded every two years, this prestigious honor is divided into two categories: one for an author and one for an illustrator, celebrating their lifetime achievements in the field. Established in 1956 and named after the famous Danish fairy tale author Hans Christian Andersen, the award acknowledges works that embody rich narratives and universal themes accessible to young audiences. Often referred to as the "Little Nobel Awards," it is administered by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) and selected by a diverse panel of judges, including children's literature experts and IBBY officials.
Candidates must be living at the time of nomination, and their works are evaluated based on artistic merit and their ability to address subject matter effectively for children. Winners receive a diploma and a gold medal featuring Andersen's likeness. The award not only highlights the importance of children's literature but also aims to promote understanding and appreciation across cultures.
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Hans Christian Andersen Award
The Hans Christian Andersen Award is the highest international award given for children’s literature. The highly coveted award is actually two awards. Every other year, one award is given to an author and another is given to an illustrator whose life’s work is judged to have made an outstanding contribution to children’s literature. First awarded in 1956, the award is named for a nineteenth-century Dutch author best known for his fairy tales.
Background
Hans Christian Andersen was born into a poor family in Odense, Denmark, in 1805. His father, who died when Andersen was eleven, often entertained his young son by telling him popular folktales. Andersen had an interest in writing and performing but struggled to find his place in the world despite receiving help from a number of well-placed benefactors.
After failing as an actor and experiencing some unsuccessful attempts at writing plays, Andersen began writing fairy tales when he was about thirty years old. It is believed he based his stories on his own family’s experiences and things he had heard or observed over the years. For example, “The Ugly Duckling” is thought to be based in part on his own efforts to fit in and find his own way, while “The Little Match Girl” was said to be based on his mother’s experiences begging as child.
His first small book of stories eventually became a success. Andersen embarked on a writing career that produced about 150 fairy tales as well as plays and novels. Some of Andersen’s other famous works include “The Princess and the Pea” and “The Little Mermaid.” In addition to having the international award for children’s literature named after him, International Children’s Book Day is celebrated on his birthday, April 2, each year. Artists have also honored him with several bronze statues. These include one of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen. Denmark, and statues of the author himself in Copenhagen and in Central Park in New York City.
The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) is a nonprofit group founded in Switzerland in 1953. Their goals are to promote excellence in literature for children, to make this literature available around the world, and to promote understanding among nations through children’s literature. More than sixty-five countries are represented in its National Sections. Volunteers fund it through membership fees and private donations. It is governed by an eleven-member executive committee comprised of members from ten different countries and a president chosen every other year from among all the National Sections membership.
Overview
The Hans Christian Andersen Award is actually a pair of awards given every other year to recognize one writer and one illustrator of children’s books for a lifetime of excellence. The award recognizes those whose work reflects Andersen’s practice of writing rich, imaginative narratives that convey universal themes and values in a way that can be enjoyed and absorbed by children. Because of the emphasis on the literary works having a positive impact on the lives of young children, the Hans Christian Andersen Awards are sometimes referred to as “Little Nobel Awards.” This is a reference to the Nobel Prizes given for significant achievements in science, literature, and other fields.
A ten-member team of international judges selects the winner. The judges include the IBBY president, the president of the Hans Christian Andersen Jury, and eight international experts in children’s literature chosen by the IBBY executive committee. Each juror serves for no more than two consecutive terms. At one time, the entire committee of judges reviewed and chose the winners in both categories. However, in more recent times, the committee has been split in half, with five jurors reviewing candidates for the author award and five jurors reviewing candidates in the illustrator category. This was done to give the jurors more time to thoroughly review the life’s work of each candidate.
Each potential honoree must be alive at the time of nomination, so the award is only given posthumously if the candidate dies between the time of the nomination and the time when the winner is chosen. The candidates’ work is reviewed for its method of handling its subject matter, with special attention given to its artistic merits. All aspects of the writing and art are considered, and the judges look for how the use of the writer’s or illustrator’s technique helps to convey the subject matter to young children. Candidates who are not chosen for the biennial award are sometimes named as a finalist; in the past, they were designated as a runner-up or as a highly commended candidate. If a candidate is not chosen for a particular award but was judged to have significant merit, that candidate can be considered again after five years have passed.
The Hans Christian Andersen Award was first presented in 1956. Initially, the award was only given for writing and was given for single books. A separate award for illustrators was added in 1966. In contemporary times, the award has shifted from recognizing a single work to acknowledging the writer’s or illustrator’s lifetime body of work. The award itself has two parts. Each winner receives a diploma recognizing the accomplishment and a gold medal. The medal is round and features a rendition of Andersen’s face encircled by the words “Hans Christian Andersen Medaille.”
In addition to the sponsorship of the IBBY, the award has other supporters. The royal leader of Denmark is the patron of the Andersen Awards. In addition, the Nissan Motor Company provides financial support.
Bibliography
“Guide to the Hans Christian Andersen Award Collection.” University of Florida, Apr. 2018, www.library.ufl.edu/spec/manuscript/guides/andersenawards.htm. Accessed 14 Mar. 2019.
“Hans Christian Andersen.” Scholastic, www.scholastic.com/teachers/authors/hans-christian-andersen/. Accessed 14 Mar. 2019.
“Hans Christian Andersen Award.” Central Connecticut State University, web.ccsu.edu/library/curriculumlab/Award%20Books/HansChristianAndersen.htm. Accessed 14 Mar. 2019.
“Hans Christian Andersen Award.” Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award, andersen-award.com. Accessed 14 Mar. 2019.
“Hans Christian Andersen Award.” OmniLibros, omnilibros.com/hans-christian-andersen-award/. Accessed 14 Mar. 2019.
“Hans Christian Andersen Awards.” International Board on Books for Young People, www.ibby.org/awards-activities/awards/hans-christian-andersen-awards/. Accessed 14 Mar. 2019.
“Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales.” Hans Christian Andersen Center, www.andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/register/eventyr‗e.html. Accessed 14 Mar. 2019.
“What Is IBBY– International Board on Books for Young People.” Greek International Board on Books for Young People, www.greekibby.gr/products5.php?wh=1&lang=2&the1id=14&the2id=15&theid=15&open1=14&open2=15. Accessed 14 Mar. 2019.