Jacqueline Woodson Named 2018 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Laureate

By Stacey Lai | March 30 2018 | Children's

Penguin Random House author Jacqueline Woodson was named the 2018 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Laureate, the world’s largest award for children’s and young adult literature. The prize amounts to 5 million Swedish krona (approximately $613,000).  Woodson is the author of more than thirty books, including novels, poetry and picture books. One of her most lauded titles is the National Book Award- winning memoir in verse  BROWN GIRL DREAMING  (Nancy Paulsen Books).  

The award announcement from Sweden was made on March 27 at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. Domestic and international outlets such as New York Daily News,  Publishers WeeklyLos Angeles TimesShelf Awareness, and the BBC have shared the good news. Woodson will be interviewed this Friday by Gayle King for the CBS This Morning podcast.

The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award will be presented by H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden in a ceremony at the Stockholm Concert Hall on May 28.

The citation of the jury reads: “Jacqueline Woodson introduces us to resilient young people fighting to find a place where their lives can take root. In language as light as air, she tells stories of resounding richness and depth. Jacqueline Woodson captures a unique poetic note in a daily reality divided between sorrow and hope.”

Woodson frequently writes about teens making the transition from childhood to adult life. Masterful characterization and a deep understanding of the adolescent psyche are hallmarks of her work. Her books are written in the first person, usually from a female point of view. Racism, segregation, economic injustice, social exclusion, prejudice and sexual identity are all recurring themes. In January, she was named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature in the United States.

“It’s important to hold up mirrors for kids to see their experience is legitimate. Too often those mirrors aren’t there for them,” says Woodson.

 

See here for a full list of Jacqueline Woodson titles.

 

Congratulations, Jackie!

9780147515827
Jacqueline Woodson's multi-award winning memoir in verse--winner of the National Book Award, the Coretta Scott King Author Award, and a Newbery Honor--now available in paperback with new material included!
$10.99 US
Oct 11, 2016
Paperback
368 Pages
Nancy Paulsen Books
US, Canada, Open Mkt

9780399246531
Jacqueline Woodson is the 2018-2019 National Ambassador for Young People's LiteratureA #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson and two-time Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner Rafael López have teamed up to create a poignant, yet heartening book about finding courage to connect, even when you feel scared and alone.
$18.99 US
Aug 28, 2018
Hardcover
32 Pages
Nancy Paulsen Books
US, Canada, Open Mkt

9780525515487
Celebrating its twentieth anniversary, Jacqueline Woodson's beloved, lyrical story of star-crossed love is as timely as ever.
$17.99 US
Mar 06, 2018
Hardcover
192 Pages
Nancy Paulsen Books
US, Canada, Open Mkt

9780399246524
WINNER OF A CORETTA SCOTT KING HONOR AND THE JANE ADDAMS PEACE AWARD! Each kindness makes the world a little better This unforgettable book is written and illustrated by the award-winning team that created The Other Side and the Caldecott Honor winner Coming On Home Soon. With its powerful anti-bullying message and striking art, it will resonate with readers long after they've put it down. Chloe and her friends won't play with the new girl, Maya. Every time Maya tries to join Chloe and her friends, they reject her. Eventually Maya stops coming to school. When Chloe's teacher gives a lesson about how even small acts of kindness can change the world, Chloe is stung by the lost opportunity for friendship, and thinks about how much better it could have been if she'd shown a little kindness toward Maya.
$18.99 US
Oct 02, 2012
Hardcover
32 Pages
Nancy Paulsen Books
World

9780142415528
Finalist for the National Book AwardWhen Lonnie was seven years old, his parents died in a fire. Now he's eleven, and he still misses them terribly. And he misses his little sister, Lili, who was put into a different foster home because "not a lot of people want boys-not foster boys that ain't babies." But Lonnie hasn't given up. His foster mother, Miss Edna, is growing on him. She's already raised two sons and she seems to know what makes them tick. And his teacher, Ms. Marcus, is showing him ways to put his jumbled feelings on paper.Told entirely through Lonnie's poetry, we see his heartbreak over his lost family, his thoughtful perspective on the world around him, and most of all his love for Lili and his determination to one day put at least half of their family back together. Jacqueline Woodson's poignant story of love, loss, and hope is lyrically written and enormously accessible.
$8.99 US
Jan 07, 2010
Paperback
144 Pages
Nancy Paulsen Books
US, Canada, Open Mkt