Shaun Tan's Acceptance Speech
Shaun Tan, recipient of the 2011 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, gives his acceptance speech at the Award ceremony. Stockholm Concert Hall, May 2011.
A masterly visual storyteller
Shaun Tan is an Australian illustrator, known for his ability to create visually spectacular pictorial narratives with a constant human presence. His most critically acclaimed book, The Arrival, is a complex, completely wordless graphic novel about an immigrant family. Shaun Tan breaks down the boundaries of storytelling, taking us to a place beyond conventions and literary hierarchies.
Discover Shaun Tan
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
Discover our laureates
The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is awarded to authors, illustrators and narrators, but also to people or organizations that work to promote reading.
Find out more about the laureates