Nominated candidates 2026
A total of 263 candidates from 74 countries and regions have been nominated for the 2026 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, including 78 candidates new from previous years. The list includes authors and illustrators, as well as storytellers and reading promoters. The laureate will be announced on 14 April 2026.
The candidates are presented in alphabetical order. You can also filter the nominees by category and search by name or country. Some nominees are nominated in several categories. Links lead to external websites with more information about the candidate, often in the candidate's language. Missing someone's photo or website? Email us at literatureaward@alma.se
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ABCXXI All of Poland Reads to Kids
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Poland
https://calapolskaczytadzieciom.pl/exit_to_app
Áine Ní Ghlinn
Author, Ireland
Aleksejs Naumovs
Illustrator, Latvia
Anamaria Smigelschi
Author, Illustrator, Romania
Anas Abu Rahma
Author, Promoter of reading, Palestine
Andreas Steinhöfel
Author, Germany
Andrus Kivirähk
Author, Estonia
Anne Brouillard
Author, Belgium
Anne Herbauts
Author, Illustrator, Belgium
Ánte Mihkkal Gaup
Storytelling, Norway
Antonio Ramos Revillas
Author, Mexico
ASSABIL - Culture for All
Organisation, Promoter of reading, Lebanon
Atanu Roy
Illustrator, India
Basarat Kazim
Promoter of reading, Pakistan
Bei Lynn
Illustrator, Taiwan
Bibi Dumon Tak
Author, Netherlands
Big Brother Mouse
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Laos
Cao Wenxuan
Author, China
Carl Norac
Author, Belgium
Cecilia Torudd
Author, Illustrator, Sweden
Centre for Literacy in Primary Education
Promoter of reading, Organisation, United Kingdom
Cooperative Children's Book Center
Promoter of reading, Organisation, USA
https://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/exit_to_appCostas Katsonis
Author, Promoter of reading, Cyprus
Cristina Carvalho
Author, Portugal
https://sites.google.com/view/cristinacarvalho-juvenil/homeexit_to_app
De Schrijverscentrale
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Netherlands
https://deschrijverscentrale.nl/exit_to_app
Diavazontas Megalono
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Greece
https://www.diavazontas.org/englishexit_to_app
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Promoter of reading, Organisation, USA
https://imaginationlibrary.com/exit_to_appDone Stan
Illustrator, Romania
Empathy Lab
Promoter of reading, Organisation, United Kingdom
Enesa Ustamujic-Sejdic
Illustrator, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Eugene Trivizas
Author, Greece
Eun-sil Yoo
Author, South Korea
Franz Hohler
Author, Switzerland
Frida Nilsson
Author, Sweden
Fundacja Powszechnego Czytania
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Poland
https://www.fpc.org.pl/exit_to_app
Gabriel Pacheco
Illustrator, Mexico
Gcina Mhlophe
Author, Promoter of reading, Storytelling, South Africa
https://www.gcinamhlophe.co.za/exit_to_app
Gerda Dendooven
Author, Illustrator, Belgium
https://blog.picturebookmakers.com/post/gerda-dendoovenexit_to_appGerelchimeg Blackcrane
Author, China
Gro Dahle
Author, Norway
Gundega Muzikante
Illustrator, Latvia
Halyna Vdovychenko
Author, Ukraine
Houshang Moradi Kermani
Author, Iran
Ignatius Mabasa
Author, Zimbabwe
Ion Creanga National Children's Library
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Moldova
https://www.bncreanga.md/exit_to_app
Ivan Andrusiak
Author, Ukraine
Ivar Da Coll
Illustrator, Colombia
Iwona Chmielewska
Author, Illustrator, Poland
https://www.instagram.com/iwonachmielewskaofficial/exit_to_app
Jan Lööf
Author, Illustrator, Sweden
Jasminka Petrovic
Author, Serbia
Jorge Luján
Author, Argentina
Kazu Kibuishi
Author, Illustrator, United States/Japan
https://www.boltcityproductions.com/exit_to_app
Kestutis Kasparavicius
Author, Illustrator, Lithuania
https://www.instagram.com/kestutisbooks/exit_to_app
Koocheh Shaadi
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Iran
Korean Children's Book Association
Promoter of reading, Organisation, South Korea
KPBA Society for the Advancement of Children's Literature
Organisation, Promoter of reading, Indonesia
https://www.kpba-murti.org/exit_to_app
Kristina Radojicic
Author, Montenegro
L'Agence quand les livres relient
Promoter of reading, Organisation, France
https://www.agencequandleslivresrelient.fr/exit_to_app
Laskaridis Foundation
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Greece
Lecture jeunesse
Promoter of reading, Organisation, France
https://www.lecturejeunesse.org/exit_to_app
Lisen Adbåge
Author, Illustrator, Sweden
Liu Hsu-kung
Illustrator, Taiwan
Loty Petrovits-Andrutsopulou
Author, Greece
Luigia Negro
Storytelling, Italy
Luis Gatmaitan
Author, Philippines
Malgorzata Swedrowska
Promoter of reading, Poland
Manuel Monroy
Illustrator, Mexico
Marguerite Abouet
Author, Ivory Coast/France
María López Vigil
Author, Cuba/Nicaragua
Mariana Osorio Gumá
Author, Cuba
Marit Törnqvist
Author, Illustrator, Promoter of reading, Netherlands/Sweden
https://www.marittornqvist.nl/en/exit_to_app
Martijn van der Linden
Illustrator, Netherlands
https://www.martijnvanderlindenillustrator.nl/exit_to_app
Mastura Mohamed
Promoter of reading, Malaysia
Md Sidin Ahmad Ishak
Promoter of reading, Malaysia
Mehrdad Zaeri
Illustrator, Germany
Mohammad Mirkiyani
Author, Iran
Monica Zak
Storytelling, Author, Promoter of reading, Sweden
Museum of the Resian people
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Italy
https://rezija.com/en/ass-culturale-museo-della-gente-della-val-resia/chi-siamo/exit_to_appNavid Seyed Ali-Akbar
Author, Iran
Nguyen Bao Chau
Author, Illustrator, Vietnam
Nikolaus Heidelbach
Illustrator, Germany
Olinda Beja
Author, Storytelling, São Tomé och Príncipe
Oliviera Olja Jelkić
Author, Promoter of reading, Storytelling, Serbia
https://oliveraoljajelkic.com/exit_to_app
OvidiuRo Association
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Romania
https://www.ovid.ro/en/home/exit_to_appPaloma Valdivia
Illustrator, Chile
Patrice Lawrence
Author, United Kingdom
Patricia Forde
Author, Ireland
Peter Stevenson
Author, Illustrator, Storytelling, United Kingdom
https://www.peterstevensonarts.co.uk/exit_to_appPeter Svetina
Author, Slovenia
Pham Thi Hoai Anh
Promoter of reading, Vietnam
Pija Lindenbaum
Author, Illustrator, Sweden
https://www.instagram.com/pijalindenbaumofficialexit_to_appPilar Lozano
Author, Colombia
Piret Raud
Author, Illustrator, Estonia
POC-lukupiiri
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Finland
Raouf Karray
Illustrator, Tunisia
Read with me
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Iran
Reading Bugs
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Indonesia
https://www.instagram.com/readingbugsexit_to_appReading Club 2000
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Philippines
Rumiko Takahashi
Author, Illustrator, Japan
Sanja Seferovic Drvnošek
Author, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Sanna Pelliccioni
Illustrator, Finland
https://www.instagram.com/illustratorsannapelliccioniexit_to_app
Sarah Crossan
Author, Ireland
Sashko Dermanskyi
Author, Ukraine
Seizo Tashima
Illustrator, Japan
SERAJ Library Project
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Palestine
https://www.serajlibraries.org/exit_to_appSevinj Nurugizi
Author, Azerbaijan
Silent books Lampedusa
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Italy
https://www.instagram.com/bibliotecaibbylampedusa/exit_to_app
Singapore Book Council
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Singapore
https://www.bookcouncil.sg/exit_to_app
Sommerles
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Norway
Sonia Nimr
Author, Palestine
Sundui Oyunbadam
Author, Mongolia
Suzy Lee
Author, Illustrator, South Korea
Taller Azul
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Argentina
Tàssies
Illustrator, Spain
Timothée de Fombelle
Author, France
TOG The Community Volunteers Foundation
Promoter of reading, Organisation, Turkey
https://www.tog.org.tr/en/disaster-studiesexit_to_app
Triinu Laan
Author, Estonia
Tuutikki Tolonen
Author, Finland
Veronique Tadjo
Author, Illustrator, Ivory Coast/France
Won-hee Cho
Illustrator, South Korea
Yih-Fen Chou
Author, Taiwan
Yolanda Reyes
Author, Colombia
Children create miracles when they read.
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Feel free to use our film and graphic stamp to make the nominees for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2026 visible. Read more and download here.
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