Dutch writer Guus Kuijer wins £467,000 children's fiction prize

Guus Kuijer has won the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for children’s literature.

The 69-year-old Dutch writer has written more than 30 books since making his debut in 1975 and collects five million Swedish kronor (£467,000) for the award - the richest prize in children's fiction.

The prize is for a body of work "in the spirit" of Pippi Longstocking creator Astrid Lindgren (who died in 2002 aged 94) and previous winners include Philip Pullman, Maurice Sendak and Shaun Tan, the 2011 winner.

In its citation, the 12-strong Swedish jury wrote: “Respect for children is as self-evident in his works as his rejection of intolerance and oppression. Kuijer combines serious subject matter and razor-sharp realism with warmth, subtle humor and visionary flights of fancy. He consistently conveys a message of tolerance, understanding and broad-mindedness."

Kuijer's books - including Florian Knol - have been translated into more than 10 languages. He has previously won the German Children’s Literature Award and the Dutch National Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature.

Martin Chilton

Telegraph.co.uk