Guus Kuijer in Vimmerby

At Astrid Lindgren’s Näs in Vimmerby. Photo: Emma Jansson.

Guus Kuijer made a two day visit to Vimmerby last week. He gave a lecture at the biannual Astrid Lindgren conference focusing on children’s right to be respected for what they are. Commenting on children’s literature he concluded -”Let’s strive for quality and not popularity”.

Visiting the permanent exhibition “The whole world’s Astrid Lindgren” at Näs, where the life and work of Astrid Lindgren is presented. Photo: Emma Jansson.

Astrid Lindgren’s relatives gave a much appreciated guided tour of the house where Astrid Lindgren spent her childhood. This and the museum of Astrid Lindgren’s life and works made a great impact on the writer who was also much impressed of her influence in public debate.   

Photo: Emma Jansson.

Guus Kuijer also had time for a walk in the park The World of Astrid Lindgren where visitors can experience characters from Astrid Lindgren’s books.

Guus Kuijer met his readers in Stockholm

Guus Kuijer in conversation with Lars H. Gustafsson, paediatrician and ALMA jury member, at Riksdagsbiblioteket (parliament library), May 23. Photo: Stefan Tell.

Members of the Swedish parliament, librarians, and a devoted public had the privilege of listening to Guus Kuijer in conversation with Lars H Gustafsson, pediatrician and member of the ALMA-jury, at Riksdagsbiblioteket (the parliamentary library) on Wednesday. The two gentlemen talked about violence and childhood memories, but also about Pollekes disappearance and Kuijers use of twitter.

Guus Kuijer at Riksdagsbiblioteket (parliament library), May 23. Photo: Stefan Tell.

On Thursday Guus Kuijer did a reading in Dutch at the International library in Stockholm. Many Dutch people in exile came to listen, both children and adults. Guus Kuijer talked about his writing and a little girl asked, “What is it like to be a writer?”

“It’s boring,” said Guus Kuijer, adding “but it’s not boring in your head…”

At Internationella biblioteket (international library) in Stockholm, May 24. Photo: Stefan Tell.

About happiness, dying, art – and Ingmar Bergman…

Photo: Stefan Tell

It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop in the Kulturhuset auditorium when Guus Kuijer held his award lecture yesterday. The audience was absolutely captivated by his words, which will be broadcast by Swedish Educational Broadcasting Company (Utbildningsradion) at Swedish Knowledge Channel on Monday 28^th at 6:00 pm. The lecture was followed by a question and answer session with the audience.

“…there are different kinds of understanding. Understanding art is a very different thing from understanding that the earth is round. And besides: art is not always suitable for everyone.”

Photo: Stefan Tell

Behrang Miri, artistic director for children and young adults at Kulturhuset, welcomed the audience, and Kerstin Brunnberg, chairman of the Swedish Arts Council, introduced Kuijer.

Photo: Stefan Tell

 

 

Welcome to Stockholm Guus Kuijer!

Today, the recipient of the 2012 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award arrives in Sweden, and thereby begins this year’s award week. Tonight, the Dutch author Guus Kuijer gives his public award lecture at Kulturhuset (house of culture) in Stockholm.

The lecture (in English) starts at 6:00 pm at Kulturhuset Auditorium, 3^rd floor. It’s followed by a question and answer session and book signing. The lecture is open to the public and admission free.

The award lecture is a collaboration between the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award and Kulturhuset.

This year’s award week takes place between May 22-29^th.

Guus Kuijer to Stockholm

The ALMA award week is coming up! Guus Kuijer arrives in Stockholm on Tuesday May 22, and a whole week of events surroundig the award ceremony starts, including appearances at Kulturhuset (house of culture) and Riksdagsbiblioteket (the parliamentary library).

“There’s plenty of variety on the programme. I’m really looking forward to hearing Guus Kuijer talk about his writings at Kulturhuset,” said Helen Sigeland, director of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. “The conversation with Lars H. Gustafsson at Riksdagsbiblioteket will be fascinating, too, and Dutch speakers will have an exclusive opportunity to enjoy an evening of readings.”

Award week programme
22 May: Lecture at Kulturhuset (house of culture) in Stockholm. Guus Kuijer talks about his writings. Open to the public, admission free.
23 May: Guus Kuijer in conversation with Lars H. Gustafsson, paediatrician and ALMA jury member, at Riksdagsbiblioteket. Open to the public, no registration required.
24 May: Reading at Internationella biblioteket (the international library) in Stockholm (in Dutch).
25 May: Lecture at the Astrid Lindgren conference in Vimmerby.
26 May: Visit to Astrid Lindgren’s Näs and Lindgren’s childhood home in Vimmerby.
28 May: Award ceremony at Stockholm Concert Hall. HRH Crown Princess Victoria will present the award in the presence of Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth, Minister for Culture.

Kulturhuset is also paying tribute to Kuijer by organising workshops for children and young people, and Skansen, the open-air museum in Stockholm, will arrange an event of celebrating children’s books.

Maurice Sendak passed away

The American author and illustrator Maurice Sendak died today at the age of 83, due to complications from a recent stroke. He recived the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2003, the first year the prize was presented. He shared the prize with the Austrian author Christine Nöstlinger.
- It was natural to give the prize to Maurice Sendak, he was widely considered as the most important children’s book artist, says Larry Lempert, chairman of the ALMA jury.
Maurice Sendak’s most famous book Where the Wild Things Are (1963) is a book about a dangerous journey taken by young Max to meet his inner aggressive demons. The book has been translated to many other languages and a feature film version has been made. Sendak has published nine books and illustrated many more.

Kuijer will visit Vimmerby

Guus Kuijer will take part in this year’s Astrid Lindgren conference and hold a concluding lecture on Friday the 25th of May. The theme of the conference, which takes place in Vimmerby in the south of Sweden, is “About politics and children’s books, and, politics in children’s books”.
There are a number of exciting speakers attending. Lena Törnqvist will give a talk on how Lindgren’s own political and social commitments were reflected in her work. Other speakers at the conference include Nina Björk, author and commentator, Gunna Grähs, illustrator and the authors Gunilla Lundgren and Åsa Anderberg Strollo.

Welcome to the ALMA jury

Mats Kempe, author and librarian, Annika Edlund, literary educator and children’s librarian, and Henry Ascher, paediatrician, are new jury members to the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA).

“We’re delighted that these three widely respected experts have agreed to join the jury,” said Kennet Johansson, Director General of the Swedish Arts Council.

Mats Kempe lives in Stockholm and works at Barnängens världsbibliotek, an international library. Annika Edlund is chief children’s librarian at Grubbebiblioteket in Umeå and an active member of two arts associations. Henry Ascher, paediatrician and a professor of public health, is a visiting lecturer at Sahlgrenska Akademin in Gothenburg.

The three new jury members replace Birgitta Fransson, journalist and literary critic, Ulla Lundqvist, writer, and Lars H. Gustafsson, paediatrician and author, whose term ends on 30 June 2012.

The ALMA jury, April 2012. Photo: Stefan Tell

ALMA at LitteraLund

Photo: Stella Michelet

Lars H Gustafsson, author, senior children´s medical officer and member of the ALMA jury since many years, held a very appreciated lecture at the Swedish literature festival LitteraLund today.

The topic was of course this year’s award recipient, the Dutch author Guus Kuijer.

LitteraLund is a book festival for children and young people, which takes place every year. Have a look at this year’s program here.

Guus Kuijer to visit Sweden

Good news! Guus Kuijer is to visit Sweden in May to participate in the award week.

“It’s fantastic news that this fascinating author is coming to Sweden to meet the Swedish reading public,” says Larry Lempert, chairman of the ALMA jury. “I’m really looking forward to his lecture and reading at the House of Culture (Kulturhuset) in Stockholm on 22 May.”

Guus Kuijer will round off his visit with the award ceremony at the Stockholm Concert Hall on May 28, at which he will be presented with the award by H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria. The award ceremony will be hosted by Daniel Sjölin and Johanna Koljonen, two most appreciated writers/journalists in Sweden today.

“I’m deeply grateful to receive this award. I hope that it will positively influence the position of children’s literature in the Netherlands and abroad,” says Kuijer.