IBBY Canada supports Canadian children’s literature both here and on the international stage through various awards. We administer three national awards and are an official Canadian nominating body for prestigious international prizes and lists. Many Canadian authors, artists, scholars, organizations, and books have been recognized by IBBY Canada. Click on the links below to learn more.
National Awards
Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award
The Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award was established in 1985 following the death of Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver, one of Canada’s pre-eminent book illustrators. The recipient is a Canadian illustrator of a picture book published in Canada in English or French, and receives a cheque for $1,000 dollars and a certificate.
Claude Aubry Award
The Claude Aubry Award was established in 1981 in honour of the late Claude Aubry, who served as director of the Ottawa Public Library. IBBY Canada presents two Aubry Awards biennially, from nominations of individuals who have made a significant contribution to Canadian children’s literature.
International Awards
Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
The world’s largest children’s and youth literature award, the ALMA is presented to authors, illustrators, oral storytellers and those active in reading promotion work. The award may be presented to a single recipient or to several, regardless of language or nationality. The award of five million Swedish krona is the second-largest literature prize in the world.
Hans Christian Andersen Awards
Every other year, IBBY presents the Hans Christian Andersen Awards to an author and an illustrator whose complete works have made a lasting contribution to children’s literature. The award is the highest international recognition given to an author and an illustrator of children’s books. The nominations are made by the National Sections of IBBY and a distinguished international jury of children’s literature specialists selects the recipients. The Award consists of a gold medal and a diploma, presented at a festive ceremony during the biennial IBBY Congress.
IBBY Honour List
The IBBY Honour List is a biennial selection of outstanding, recently published books, honouring writers, illustrators and translators from IBBY member countries. The National Sections that can nominate one book for each of the three categories select the titles. The Honour List diplomas are presented to the recipients at the IBBY Congresses where the catalogue is introduced and the books are shown for the first time. Thereafter five parallel sets of the books circulate around the world at exhibitions during conferences and book fairs.
Asahi Award
The IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Award was established in 1986 during the IBBY Congress in Tokyo under the sponsorship of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper company. It is given biennially to two groups or institutions whose outstanding activities are judged to be making a lasting contribution to reading promotion programmes for children and young people. The nominations are submitted by the National Sections of IBBY and may include projects from any part of the world. The prize of $10,000 USD and a diploma is presented to the winners at the biennial IBBY Congress.
Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities
The Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities aims “to give young people with disabilities, like other children, the opportunity to enjoy books and also open the way for their inclusion in society.” Selected titles, representing the best books for young people with disabilities, are featured in a biennial catalogue and travelling exhibition.
Awards
IBBY Canada supports Canadian children’s literature both here and on the international stage through various awards. We administer three national awards and are an official Canadian nominating body for prestigious international prizes and lists. Many Canadian authors, artists, scholars, organizations, and books have been recognized by IBBY Canada. Click on the links below to learn more.
National Awards
Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award
The Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award was established in 1985 following the death of Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver, one of Canada’s pre-eminent book illustrators. The recipient is a Canadian illustrator of a picture book published in Canada in English or French, and receives a cheque for $1,000 dollars and a certificate.
Claude Aubry Award
The Claude Aubry Award was established in 1981 in honour of the late Claude Aubry, who served as director of the Ottawa Public Library. IBBY Canada presents two Aubry Awards biennially, from nominations of individuals who have made a significant contribution to Canadian children’s literature.
International Awards
Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
The world’s largest children’s and youth literature award, the ALMA is presented to authors, illustrators, oral storytellers and those active in reading promotion work. The award may be presented to a single recipient or to several, regardless of language or nationality. The award of five million Swedish krona is the second-largest literature prize in the world.
Hans Christian Andersen Awards
Every other year, IBBY presents the Hans Christian Andersen Awards to an author and an illustrator whose complete works have made a lasting contribution to children’s literature. The award is the highest international recognition given to an author and an illustrator of children’s books. The nominations are made by the National Sections of IBBY and a distinguished international jury of children’s literature specialists selects the recipients. The Award consists of a gold medal and a diploma, presented at a festive ceremony during the biennial IBBY Congress.
IBBY Honour List
The IBBY Honour List is a biennial selection of outstanding, recently published books, honouring writers, illustrators and translators from IBBY member countries. The National Sections that can nominate one book for each of the three categories select the titles. The Honour List diplomas are presented to the recipients at the IBBY Congresses where the catalogue is introduced and the books are shown for the first time. Thereafter five parallel sets of the books circulate around the world at exhibitions during conferences and book fairs.
Asahi Award
The IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Award was established in 1986 during the IBBY Congress in Tokyo under the sponsorship of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper company. It is given biennially to two groups or institutions whose outstanding activities are judged to be making a lasting contribution to reading promotion programmes for children and young people. The nominations are submitted by the National Sections of IBBY and may include projects from any part of the world. The prize of $10,000 USD and a diploma is presented to the winners at the biennial IBBY Congress.
Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities
The Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities aims “to give young people with disabilities, like other children, the opportunity to enjoy books and also open the way for their inclusion in society.” Selected titles, representing the best books for young people with disabilities, are featured in a biennial catalogue and travelling exhibition.