Illustration from a winning entry in the Nissan Children’s Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix
Photo: Nissan
Nissan is known for its family-friendly SUVs and crossovers, but the automaker’s commitment to families doesn’t stop there. Recently, the Japanese automaker announced the winners of the 36th annual Nissan Children’s Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix.
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Furthering children’s literacy
Photo: Victoria Borodinova
This exciting event, hosted by the International Institute for Children’s Literature, is centered on books that will inspire children’s creativity. It also gives amateur authors and illustrators a place to shine.
The event attracted 2,402 entries, several of which caught the eyes of judges.
The Storybook Grand Prize went to “What Color Is an Eggplant?” This charming story by Izumi Yamamoto tells the tale of two classmates, a boy and a girl. Together, they explore a colorful world while trying to find a cure for the boy’s hiccups. Satoko Iwasaki’s “The Shoemaker and the Ghosts” took home the Picture Book Grand Prize. This eccentric story is heavily inspired by Japanese folk tales and features all manner of mythical monsters visiting a shoemaker for help with their daily problems. Both books will be published BL Publishing Company. They’re expected to be on store shelves by December.
In addition to these Grand-Prize winners, 10 picture books and 20 storybooks earned a nod from the judges for overall excellence, while three picture books and three storybooks earned special prizes.
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Nissan’s corporate citizenship
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The Osaka-based International Institute for Children’s Literature has been hosting the Nissan Children’s Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix since the institute opened in 1984. Over its 36-year history, the competition has seen 119,000 entries from aspiring amateur authors and illustrators and has led to the publication of 65 children’s books.
However, the Nissan Children’s Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix is just a segment of the automaker’s involvement with children’s literacy programs. Nissan has contributed over 250,000 books to Japanese schools, childcare facilities, libraries, and international Japanese-language schools. The company even offers storybook reading sessions at the Nissan Gallery, located in Yokohama.
Kimiko Kidd is a native Daytonian. She graduated from Wright State University with degrees in environmental science and sociology. She loves her trusty old Honda Civic, but dreams of owning a 1974 Ford Falcon XB with a custom paint job and a vintage Kawasaki Z1000. In her free time, Kimiko can be found watercolor-painting, baking muffins, collecting rocks, playing old-school Nintendo games, writing her novel, sewing stuffed animals, and cosplaying as her favorite Mad Max characters. See more articles by Kimiko.
