The laureates

The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is awarded to authors, illustrators and narrators, but also to people or organizations that work to promote reading. Here you can find out more about all of our laureates!

Photo: Susanne Kronholm

Laureates

2025Marion Brunet

Author, France

2024Indigenous Literacy Foundation

Organisation, Australia

2023Laurie Halse Anderson

Author, USA

2022Eva Lindström

Picture book artist, Sweden

2021Jean-Claude Mourlevat

Author, France

2020Baek Heena

Picture book artist, Republic of Korea

2019Bart Moeyaert

Author, Belgium

2018Jacqueline Woodson

Author, United States

2017Wolf Erlbruch

Illustrator, Germany

2016Meg Rosoff

Author, United States/UK

2015PRAESA

Organisation, South Africa

2014Barbro Lindgren

Author, Sweden

2013Isol

Illustrator, Argentina

2012Guus Kuijer

Author, Netherlands

2011Shaun Tan

Illustrator, Australia

2010Kitty Crowther

Picture book artist, Belgium

2009Tamer Institute for Community Education

Organisation, Palestine

2008Sonya Hartnett

Author, Australia

2007Banco del Libro

Organisation, Venezuela

2006Katherine Paterson

Author, United States

2005Ryôji Arai

Picture book artist, Japan

2005Philip Pullman

Author, United Kingdom

2004Lygia Bojunga

Author, Brazil

2003Christine Nöstlinger

Author, Austria

2003Maurice Sendak

Author and illustrator, United States

Children create miracles when they read.

- Astrid Lindgren from the acceptance speech at the reception of the H C Andersen Award in 1958

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.

Find out more about the award

The diplomas

Apart from the prize sum of 5 million Swedish kronor, the laureate of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award also receives a diploma, illustrated by a Swedish illustrator and, in most cases, hand-lettered by a calligrapher.

See all the diplomas

The spirit of Astrid Lindgren

The statutes of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award stipulate that laureates shall be authors, illustrators, storytellers or reading promoters whose work or activity for children and young adults is “of the highest artistic quality” and “conveys the deeply humanistic spirit associated with Astrid Lindgren.”

Read more about the spirit of Astrid Lindgren