Jon Klassen, a renowned children’s book author and illustrator originally from Winnipeg, has been honored with the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, valued at nearly $750,000. The Swedish Arts Council presents this award annually to individuals or organizations for their exceptional contributions to children’s and young adult literature.
Judges commended Klassen for his extensive body of work, describing it as a thoughtful, perceptive, and amusing exploration of profound questions. Among his notable works are “I Want My Hat Back,” a story about a bear on a quest to find his distinctive red hat, “This Is Not My Hat,” which narrates the tale of a small fish sporting a bowler hat taken from a larger fish, “We Found a Hat,” depicting two turtles vying for a cowboy hat, and the award-winning “Cats’ Night Out.”
In recognition of his significant impact on children’s literature, Klassen was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2018. Currently residing in Los Angeles, he is the first Canadian recipient of this prestigious accolade, established by the Swedish government in 2002, with a value of approximately $744,000 in Canadian dollars.
