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Israeli writer wins world children's book prize

GENEVA: Israeli writer Uri Orlev, who grew up during World War Two in occupied Poland, has won the biennial Hans Christian Andersen prize for children's literature, the prize committee announced on Thursday.

The respected Basel-based International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) said an international jury had also awarded the 1996 prize for illustration for children's books to German artist Klaus Ensikat.

The awards, of which Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is patron, are regarded as the highest international distinction given to an author and illustrator of books for young people, according to the IBBY.

The citation said Orlev's experience as a child in the Warsaw Ghetto, where many of his stories are set, provided the background for works of "integrity and humour" which were never sentimental.

He showed "how children can survive without bitterness in harsh and terrible times," it added.

The nine-member jury, chaired by author Peter Schneck of Austria, said Ensikat's illustrations offered a constant challenge in a style which included "sophisticated humour and unexpected details."

Childrens' writers from 23 countries and illustrators from 24 were nominated for the awards, which will be presented to the winners at the IBBY's 25 Congress in Groningen, Netherlands, in August this year.

Other members of the jury were IBBY President Carmen Diana dearden of Venezuela, Maria Aontinieta Antones Cunha of Brazil, Pavel Frenkel of Russia, Jay Heale of South Africa, Liisi Huhtala of Finland, Nina Ignatowicz of the United States, Lilya Ratcheva-Straieva of Bulgaria, Beatriz Robilliard of Portugal and Rosmarie Tschirky of Switzerland.-Reuter