Jon Klassen, a Canadian children’s book author and illustrator originally from Winnipeg, has been honored with the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, valued at nearly $750,000. The award, managed by the Swedish Arts Council, is given annually to individuals or organizations for their significant contributions to children’s and young adult literature. Jurors commended Klassen’s body of work for its subtle, insightful, and humorous exploration of profound questions.
Among Klassen’s notable works are “I Want My Hat Back,” a story about a bear on a quest to find his missing red hat, “This Is Not My Hat,” which depicts a small fish wearing a bowler hat stolen from a larger fish, “We Found a Hat,” narrating the tale of two turtles vying for a cowboy hat, and the award-winning “Cats’ Night Out.” In 2018, he was appointed as a member of the Order of Canada in recognition of his significant impact on children’s literature.
Currently residing in Los Angeles, Klassen is the first Canadian recipient of this prestigious award, established by the Swedish government in 2002, with a value of five million kronor, approximately equivalent to $744,000 CAD.
