Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award

The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA) is the world's largest prize for children's and young adult literature, awarded annually to a single author, illustrator, oral storyteller, or reading promotion organisation from any country in recognition of their lifelong contribution to children's and young people's literature and the promotion of reading. The award was established in 2002 by the Swedish government to honour the memory of Astrid Lindgren (1907–2002), the beloved Swedish author of Pippi Longstocking and many other children's classics. It is administered by the Swedish Arts Council (Kulturrådet) and first awarded in 2004. The prize of five million Swedish kronor (approximately USD $450,000–500,000) makes it by far the world's largest children's literature prize. Unlike most literary prizes, ALMA is open to reading promotion organisations — not just individual creators — reflecting Lindgren's belief in the power of stories to reach all children, including those in under-resourced communities. Past recipients include Eiko Kadono, Shaun Tan, Guus Kuijer, Jacqueline Woodson, Wolf Erlbruch, Baek Hee-na, Eva Lindström, and Laurie Halse Anderson.