Nissan Names Children’s Book Competition Winners
Photo: Nissan
The 35th Nissan Children’s Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix winners have been announced by the automaker. Taking home the grand prize in the Storybook category was Kumiko Minagi, author of “Kujira Sukui,” which translates into “Whale Scooping.” The grand prize in the picture book category was awarded to Kou Matsuoka for “Kogarashi no Hiwa,” which translates into “On a Windy Winter Day.” In addition to commemorative gifts and cash, the grand prize-winning manuscripts will be published in December by BL Publishing Co.
A total of 2,788 aspiring illustrators and authors submitted material for this year’s competition, which marks the opening of the International Institute for Children’s Literature, Osaka, in 1984. The institute also helps organize the competition. Of the submissions and in addition to the two grand prize winners, Special Prizes were allotted to three picture books and three storybooks; Prizes for Excellence were awarded to 10 picture books and 20 storybooks.
According to Nissan, “’Kujira Sukui’ tells the story of a boy who wins a live whale at a festival and brings it home. Along with the unusual title and concept, the author’s detailed descriptions help draw the reader into the story. In ‘Kogarashi no Hiwa,’ a girl finds a freezing kitten on a cold, windy day. The book has distinctive imagery, featuring soft coloring and bold layout, and unexpected story developments.”
Throughout the 35-year history of the competition, a total of 63 books have been published, and over 240,000 books have been donated by the automaker to Japanese child care facilities and libraries.
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