International Children's Book Day
Every year, the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) organises and promotes International Children's Book Day "to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children's books". The day usually falls on or around 2nd April, the birthday of Hans Christian Andersen.
Each year a different National Section of IBBY has the opportunity to be the international sponsor of ICBD (International Children's Book Day). It decides upon a theme and invites a prominent author to write a message to the children of the world and a well-known illustrator to design a poster. These materials are used in different ways to promote books and reading. Several IBBY Sections promote ICBD through the media and organize activities in schools and public libraries. Often ICBD is linked up with a whole children's book week or other special events such as encounters with authors and illustrators, writing competitions or announcements of book awards.
Hans Christian Andersen Awards
Every other year IBBY presents the Hans Christian Andersen Awards to an author and an illustrator, living at the time of the nomination, whose complete works have made a lasting contribution to children's literature.
Often called the "Little Nobel Prize", the Hans Christian Andersen Award is the highest international recognition given to an author and an illustrator of children's books. Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is the Patron of the Andersen Awards.
The nominations are made by the National Sections of IBBY and the recipients are selected by a distinguished international jury of children's literature specialists.
The Author's Award has been given since 1956 and the Illustrator's Award since 1966. The Award consists of a gold medal and a diploma, presented at a festive ceremony during the biennial IBBY Congress. A special Andersen Awards issue of IBBY's journal Bookbird presents all the nominees, and documents the selection process.
Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing 1956–2002
1956: Eleanor Farjeon(UK)
1958: Astrid Lindgren(Sweden)
1960: Erich Kästner(Germany)
1962: Meindert DeJong(USA)
1964: René Guillot(France)
1966: Tove Jansson(Finland)
1968: James Krüss(Germany)
José Maria Sanchez-Silva(Spain)
1970: Gianni Rodari(Italy)
1972: Scott O'Dell (USA)
1974: Maria Gripe(Sweden)
1976: Cecil Bødker(Denmark)
1978: Paula Fox (USA)
1980: Bohumil Riha(Czechoslovakia)
1982: Lygia Bojunga Nunes(Brazil)
1984: Christine Nöstlinger(Austria)
1986: Patricia Wrightson(Australia)
1988: Annie M. G. Schmidt(Netherlands)
1990: Tormod Haugen(Norway)
1992: Virginia Hamilton(USA)
1994: Michio Mado(Japan)
1996: Uri Orlev
1998: Katherine Paterson (USA)
2000: Ana Maria Machado(Brazil)
2002: Aidan Chambers(UK)
