The Australian Library Journal

Children's literature initiative in Mexico: the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award and the Swedish Institute join Latin American focus on children's literature

Anna Cokorillos

Representatives of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award are guests of honour, and a Swedish delegation comprising writers, illustrators, storytellers and children's book publishers will also be present as the world's largest Latin American book fair, held in Guadalajara this month, places special focus for the first time on children's literature. The initiative is a joint venture between the Swedish Embassy in Mexico, the Swedish Institute, the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award and the Swedish National Council for Cultural Affairs.

The idea was first proposed when Kristina Rennerstedt, director-general of the Swedish National Council for Cultural Affairs, visited Mexico City last autumn. On the agenda are workshops for illustrators and children, story sessions, lectures on Swedish children's literature and introductions to the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. The Swedish Institute's exhibition devoted to Astrid Lindgren will also be on display.

'Internationally speaking, Swedish children's culture and children's literature are outstanding. So to carry out this major Swedish initiative in Mexico, a country with 108 million inhabitants, an impressive history and rich cultural life, yet with a surprisingly small number of book readers, seems especially pertinent,' says Ewa Polano, Sweden's ambassador in Mexico. 'The Swedish cultural delegation is a distinguished one, and will have a busy schedule right across Mexico in the coming weeks. The embassy regards this project as an important element in our ongoing efforts to promote exchange between Mexico and Sweden - particularly in the field of literature for children and young people - and a chance to provide some first hand information about the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award to people here in Mexico,' Ms Polano continues.

The author Christina Björk, whose Linnéa books have sold more than 100 000 copies in Spanish and have been warmly appreciated throughout Latin America, will be giving a talk on the special position of children's literature in Sweden together with the children's book publisher, Birgitta Westin. Illustrators Lennart Eng and Per Karlén will be holding workshops together with children and other illustrators, and the children's librarians Nora Lempert and Kersti Ståbi will be holding storytelling sessions to coincide with the Astrid Lindgren exhibition. There will also be a press conference, presentations and seminars to promote the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, represented by the chairman of the jury, Larry Lempert and the director for the award, Anna Cokorilo.

The delegation will be taking part in a number of activities arranged to coincide with two major book events taking place in Mexico in November: the children's book fair 'Feria Inter. del Libro Infantil y Juvenil' in Mexico City, 12-19 November and the 'Guadalajara International Book Fair' in Guadalajara, 26 November - 4 December.

Further information about the book fairs and related activities can be found at http://www.fil.com.mx.

The delegation program can be found at http://www.alma.se and http://www.si.se.

Biographical information

Anna Cokorilo, director, Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, ph +46 (0)8 519 264 00/08, +46 (0)70 602 51 15, e-mail anna.cokorilo@alma.se