Also known as CICLA, the Chen Bochui International Children’s Literature Award was successfully held in the difficult context we all know.
A few days ago, a Jury of nine children’s book professionals operated—Shanghai, Bologna, Berlin and Cambridge—and engaged in the difficult mission of choosing five winning books for each of the category set in the awards, namely the International Pictures Books’ category and Chinese Language Literary Works’ category.
Presided by the children’s writer, poet and essayist, Gao Hongbo, the Jury was composed of publisher and children’s writer Liu Jianbin (China), picture book consultant and curator Mariela Nagle (Argentina), Bologna Children’s Book Fair director Elena Pasoli (Italy), children’s novelist Qin Wenjun (China), critic and professor Xu Yan (China), picture book artist Yu Rong (UK), literature professor Zhang Li (China), and Shanghai Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House art director Zhao Xiaoyin (China).
Best Picture Books of the Year
1.º Direito (First Floor Right)： Writer: Ricardo Henriques; Illustrator: Nicolau Fernandes. Published by Pato Lógico Edições in 2020
Mr. Black and His Dog: Writer and Illustrator: Jiu’er. Published by Guizhou People's Publishing House in 2019
A Falling Whale: Writer and Illustrator: Xi Yuke) Published by Daylight Publishing House in 2019
The Snow Comes Around: Writer: Mei Zihan; Illustrator: Igor Oleynikov. Published by Guizhou People's Publishing House in 2019
The Truth about Old People: Writer and Illustrator: Elina Ellis) Published by Two Hoots in 2020
Best Literary Works in Chinese Language
A Non-existent Villa: Author: Huang Yingzhao. Published by China Juvenile and Children's Publishing House in 2019
Building a Ceramic Kiln and Giving It to You: Author: Peng Xuejun. Published by 21st Century Publishing Group in 2019
Xiao Su and I: Author: Huang Chunhua. Published by Anhui Juvenile and Children's Publishing House in 2020
Running Dai Er’niu: Author: Huang Beijia. Published by Phoenix Juvenile and Children’s Publishing Ltd in 2019
A Smile Among Thorns: Xiao Cong: Author: Yang Xiaoyan) Published by 21st Century Publishing Group in 2020
Additionally, two special distinctions were given to figures whose career have left a deep mark on the children’s book community, both inside and outside China.
Special Contribution Award
Zhang Qiusheng (China)
Famed writer of fairy tales and children’s poems, publisher
Best Author of the Year Award
Ed Young (United States)
Illustrator, picture book writer
About the Chen Bochui Award
The Chen Bochui International Children's Literature Award (CICLA) is one of the longest running literary prizes in China, as well as one of the most important awards linked by CCBF. Founded in 1981 by the Shanghainese children’s writer, Chen Bochui (1906-1997), it honours authors, illustrators and professionals of children's literature who have made a great contribution to children's literature in China. Since 2014, it has been reframed as an international competition judged by a multicultural panel of children's literature specialists, which aims to foster international cultural exchange, encourage the production of beautiful and inspiring children's contents, and promote healthy reading habits around China.
