Andersen picks up Bologna best publisher prize

Andersen Press has won the Bologna Book Fair’s ‘children’s publisher of the year’ prize in the European category, becoming the first UK publishing house to win the award.

The prize is for “publishers who have most distinguished themselves for their creative and publishing excellence over the year, showing originality as well as professional and intellectual skills” and Andersen beat of competition from four other shortlisted publishers to win the prize - Flying Eye/Nobrow in the UK, Forlaget Hjulet in Denmark, Pato Lógico Portogallo in Portugal and Wytwórnia in Poland.

Klaus Flugge, founder of Andersen Press, was given the prize yesterday (4th April) at a ceremony in Bologna.

The prize is run by the fair in association with the Italian Publishers’ Association and rewards the best children’s publishers in six areas of the world: Africa, Central and South America, North America, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

South Africa’s Bumble Books won the African prize, whilst Kalimat from the United Arab Emirates was given the Asia prize. The North American prize went to Canada’s Groundwood Books and Ediciones Ekaré from Venezuela picked up the South American prize. Finally, the Oceania prize was given to Book Island in New Zealand.

The award is voted for by publishing houses taking part in the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, along with Publishers Associations and book and reading institutions throughout the world.

In 2013, Flugge was given honorary citizenship of the City of Bologna in recognition of his outstanding contribution to children’s books.