“As You Drive” by Kim Ji-an (Courtesy of Kim Ji-an, WOONGJIN THINKBIG.)

Three Korean picture books were honored at this year's Ragazzi Awards for their exceptional content, artistic merit and creativity. This recognition underscores the growing influence of Korean children's literature on a global scale as the Ragazzi Awards are considered the "Nobel Prize for Children's Literature."

In early April, the Korean Publishers Association announced that "Mo Story" by Choi Yeon-ju received a special mention in the Opera Prima category, while "Rice Cake House of a Tiger" by Seo Hyun and "As You Drive" by Kim Ji-an each received a special mention in the Comics-Early Reader category. The awards ceremony was held on April 8 in Italy.

“Rice Cake House of a Tiger” by Seo Hyun (Courtesy of Sakyejul Publishing Ltd.)

The Ragazzi Awards have been held annually in conjunction with the Bologna Children's Book Fair since 1966 and are considered one of the three most important awards in the industry, along with the Hans Christian Andersen Award and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. The Ragazzi Awards recognize works of exceptional content, artistic merit and creativity in five categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Opera Prima, Comics and Toddler. A special mention is awarded for outstanding achievement. The Opera Prima Award recognizes the debut work of an author for both text and illustration, while the Comics-Early Reader category honors works aimed at children between the ages of six and nine.

Korean books have consistently won awards at the event since 2004, and last year two Korean picture books, "Summer" by Lee Suzy and "Father's Big Hands" by Choi Deok-kyu, were runners-up in the fiction and non-fiction categories.

In addition to the accolades that Korean children’s literature received at the Ragazzi Awards, another Korean children’s author was recognized this year as a finalist for The Andersen Award. This prestigious award, known worldwide for its celebration of children’s literature, was established in 1956 in honor of the famous Danish fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875). Every two years, an author whose writing and illustrations have made a significant contribution to the advancement of children’s literature is selected to receive this esteemed award. In 2022, Lee Suzy, a children’s book author, became the first Korean to triumph in the Illustrator category and was subsequently nominated as a finalist in the Writing category of this award.

“Mo Story” by Choi Yeon-ju (Courtesy of ATNOONSTUDIO)

Lee Geum-yi, a prominent writer of children’s literature with a career spanning over 40 years and more than 50 works to her credit, was named a finalist for this year’s award. One of her most notable works “You Too Are a Twilight Lily” was published in 1999 and became a bestseller in Korea, with around 700,000 copies sold. Following this success, she wrote “Keundori in Bamtee Village” a heartwarming story about a family’s journey to healing with the help of a stepmother. In addition, Lee’s “The Picture Bride” explores the lives of three women who immigrated to Hawaii during the Japanese colonial era. This work won the Gold Medal in the Historical Novel category at the prestigious Nautilus Awards in the United States last year.

All of these successes underscore the growing importance of Korean children's literature in the international arena. Korean authors and illustrators have consistently produced outstanding children's literature in a variety of styles and genres. In addition, concerted efforts have been made to increase accessibility through translation so that readers around the world can enjoy these books. In particular, internationally acclaimed works such as "Leafie, A Hen into the Wild" (which was successfully adapted into an animated film) and "The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly" have paved the way for more Korean authors and illustrators to gain recognition and establish their presence on the global stage.