Swedish ALMA award to Argentinian

The illustrator and author Marisol Misenta, known as Isol, is the 2103 recipient of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. 

  • Cover of Isol's book El Globo. Marisol Misenta won for her picture books that according to the jury “vibrate with energy and explosive emotions” and are created "with the children's eye level".
  • The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA) is the world’s largest prize for children’s and young adult literature. The award, which amounts to 5 million SEK (or $770,400), is awarded annually to either one writer, illustrator, oral storyteller or promoter of reading, or several. It is designed to put the spotlight on literature for the young.

  • Chairman of the jury, Larry Lempert in Vimmerby March 26, announces the award winner. Photo: Emma Jansson
  • This year, the award goes to Argentinian illustrator and author Marisol Misenta, known professionally under her mononym Isol. Misenta was born in 1972 in Buenos Aires, and she continues to live there today. She has written and illustrated 10 children’s books, the first which was “Vida de perros” in 1997. She has also illustrated works by Argentine poet Jorge Lujan. The jury honored Misenta for picture books that “vibrate with energy and explosive emotions”.

  • Marisol Misenta, known professionally under her mononym Isol receives thus year's Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Photo: Xavier Martín
  • Says Minister of Culture Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth: “(Isol) refreshes the litterature for children both in text and pictures and she guards their right to be independent individuals who can call into question. Isol´s books mirror the children´s thoughts, reflections and relations to the world and they contain a lot of humor and warmth.”

  • The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is administered by the Swedish Arts Council, and the recipient is chosen by a jury with broad expertise in international children’s and young adult literature. The 12 members include authors, literary critics and scholars, illustrators and librarians. One member represents Astrid Lindgren's family.

  • For more information: www.alma.se