Canadian illustrator Sydney Smith shortlisted for Hans Christian Andersen Award
The biennial award recognizes one children's author and one illustrator for their body of work
Nova Scotia illustrator Sydney Smith is among the shortlisted illustrators for the 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Award.
The biannual award, presented by the International Board of Books for Young People (IBBY) is the highest international recognition for authors and illustrators of children's books.
Out of the 12 shortlisted creators, two winners are chosen, one author and one illustrator, to celebrate lifelong achievement in their respective fields. The winners receive a gold medal bearing Hans Christian Andersen's portrait and a diploma.
Smith has brought numerous children's stories to life with his artwork. He won the 2015 Governor General's Literary Award for children's literature — illustrated books — as well as the New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year for his wordless picture book Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson.
His book Town Is by the Sea, written by Joanne Schwartz, is the story of a day in the life of a young maritime boy and the things he sees in his seaside coal-mining town. Their collaboration won the $50K TD Canadian Children's Literature Award — Canada's richest prize for children's books.
Smith has also authored his own books, including Small in the City, which won the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal, and Do You Remember?.
He was nominated for for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2022 as well.
The shortlisted authors and illustrators were chosen by a 10-member jury from a list of 59 nominations from 33 countries. The jury is chaired by Liz Page, the former IBBY executive director.
The complete lists of shortlisted creators are as follows.
Authors:
- Marina Colasanti from Brazil
- Heinz Janisch from Austria
- Lee Geum-yi from the Republic of Korea
- Bart Moeyaert from Belgium
- Timo Parvela from Finland
- Edward van de Vendel from the Netherlands
Illustrators:
- Cai Gao from China
- Iwona Chmielewska from Poland
- Nelson Cruz from Brazil
- Elena Odriozola from Spain
- Sydney Smith from Canada
- Paloma Valdivia from Chile
2022's winners were French author Marie-Aude Murail and South Korean illustrator Suzy Lee. No Canadian has ever won.
The winners will be announced on April 8, 2024 at the Bologna Children's Book Fair.
