Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 1
Bringing quality books to more languages “Is it p
ossible to translate children’s books? People have actually asked that question. Some believe that, more than any other form of literature, children’s books are tied to the country where they were written. They depict people and settings that children in other countries, with their limited experience, simply cannot understand and identify with. Really? I believe the exact opposite. I believe that children are immensely capable of understanding the most foreign and distant experiences and situations with the aid of a good translator, and I believe that their imagination will take over at the point where the translator can go no farther.” Astrid Lindgren 1969 One objective of the award is that the resulting attention should lead to more translations, thus making the laureate’s work available to more children. Astrid Lindgren changed children’s literature in terms of form and content, and has been an inspiration to other authors the world over.