The Bookseller.com

1st December 2008

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Richest children's prize goes to Australian

12.03.08 Anna Richardson

Australian author Sonya Hartnett has won the world's richest children's book award, the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.

Established by the Swedish government, the SEK 5m (£407,000) award is awarded to authors, illustrators, narrators and/or promoters of reading whose work reflects the spirit of Astrid Lindgren.

The judges said of Hartnett: "Hartnett is one of the major forces for renewal in modern young adult fiction. With psychological depth and a concealed yet palpable anger, she depicts the circumstances of young people without avoiding the darker sides of life. She does so with linguistic virtuosity and a brilliant narrative technique; her works are a source of strength."

Hartnett published her first novel Trouble All the Way at the age of 15 and has since written 18 novels for children, young people and adults. She will be presented with the award by Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria at a ceremony on May 28 at Stockholm's open-air Skansen museum.

Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award

Anna Richardson Prize Global Astrid Lindgren Award Sonya Hartnett