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P A R T I :
Entering the World of Children’s Literature
•
Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) (1980)
•
Maurice Sendak (1983)
•
Jean Fritz (1986)
•
Elizabeth George Speare (1989)
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Marcia Brown (1992)
•
Virginia Hamilton (1995)
•
Russell Freedman (1998)
•
Milton Meltzer (2001)
•
Eric Carle (2003)
•
Laurence Yep (2005)
•
James Marshall (2007)
•
Ashley Bryan (2009)
•
Tomie dePaola (2011)
Hans Christian Andersen Award 
Hans Christian Andersen Award 
Perhaps the most prestigious award is the one international prize, the Hans 
Christian Andersen Award, named after the Danish storyteller and author who is lauded 
as the father of modern fantasy. (More is said about Andersen’s accomplishments in 
Chapter 6 .) Like the Wilder Award, the Andersen Award is given in recognition of 
individuals whose complete bodies of works have made an outstanding and lasting 
contribution to children’s literature. Since 1956 the Hans Christian Andersen Award 
has been given to a living author every two years by the International Board on Books 
for Young People. Since 1966 an award has also been given to a living illustrator. 
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is the patron of these biennial awards, but the panel 
of five judges is composed of individuals from five different countries. 
Since the first awards were given in 1956, only the following five authors and 
one illustrator from the United States have won this highest international distinction: 
•
Meindert DeJong (1962)
•
Maurice Sendak (1970)
•
Scott O’Dell (1972)
•
Paula Fox (1978)
•
Virginia Hamilton (1992)
•
Katherine Paterson (1998)
Sendak, the only U.S. illustrator to win this award, and Hamilton were also honored 
with the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, which—like the Hans Christian Andersen 
Award—is given for a person’s life work. 
Adults select the recipients of all the awards named thus far. There is no doubt 
that these selections are outstanding books produced by talented authors and illus-
trators, but do children like the same books that adults do? Do they read and enjoy 
the books that adults believe are the best? Educators are speaking out to say, “No!” 
(See Strauss, 2008.) Children’s Choices more closely represent children’s tastes.
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