30/10/2026
Meet the 2028 Hans Christian Andersen Award Jury 🏆
The Hans Christian Andersen Award is the highest international distinction in books for young people. Presented every two years by IBBY, it recognises a writer and an illustrator whose complete works have made a lasting contribution to children's and youth literature.
Ten specialists from across the globe have been selected by the IBBY Executive Committee to serve on the 2028 Jury, working under the guidance of Jury President Shereen Kreidieh, with IBBY Executive Director Carolina Ballester serving ex officio as Jury Secretary:
🌍 Nadia El Kholy (Egypt) — Professor at Cairo University and President of the Egyptian Book Council for Young Readers, specialising in children's literature and translation.
🌍 Giorgia Grilli (Italy) — Professor of children's literature at the University of Bologna and co-founder of the Italian Centre of Research in Children's Literature.
🌍 Le Thu Phuong Quynh (Vietnam) — Children's book publisher specialising in editorial development, picture books and translation, with the global literacy team of Room to Read.
🌍 Shailaja Menon (India) — Expert in early literacy and children's literature, leading initiatives at Tata Trusts and educational festivals across India.
🌍 Mare Müürsepp (Estonia) — Distinguished scholar and critic of children's literature, with extensive experience in academia and international literary evaluation.
🌍 Ana Elsa (Anel) Martínez Pérez (Mexico) — Researcher, teacher and cultural manager focused on the history of reading, children's literature and reading promotion.
🌍 Josiane Polidori (Canada) — Former head of the Children's Literature Library and Archives at the National Library of Canada.
🌍 Sara Reis da Silva (Portugal) — Scholar and assistant professor with habilitation at the Institute of Education, University of Minho, Braga.
🌍 Margaret Anne Suggs (Ireland) — Illustrator and educator whose teaching and artistic work have shaped children's literature.
🌍 Jochen Weber (Germany) — Head of the language section at the International Youth Library in Munich, children's book translator and reviewer.
📅 The 2028 nominees will be announced on 5 April 2027 at the IBBY Press Conference during the Bologna Children's Book Fair.
With gratitude to the Selangor Public Library Corporation for sponsoring the Award, and for their unwavering support of IBBY's mission to bring books and children together.
🔗 Learn more at ibby.org