Roskifte wins £40k Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize

Norwegian artist Kristin Roskifte has won the Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize worth 350,000 Danish Kr (£40,000).

The Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) graduate was presented with the award for her picture book Alle sammen teller by Sweden’s Prime Minister Stefan Löfven during a ceremony at the Stockholm Concert Hall.

Kristin began her career at ARU, where she studied for a BA (Hons) in Illustration at the Cambridge School of Art. She has since gone on to produce a number of children’s books and co-owns the publishers Magikon Forlag. Her previous books are not currenty published in the UK but Alle sammen teller will be published as Everybody Counts: A counting story from 0 to 7.5 billion by Quarto's Wide Eyed Editions in February 2020.

Praising the winning book, the Prize jury said: “The text is poetic and funny. It arouses curiosity and gives us clues for understanding what’s going on in the pictures.

“Kristin Roskifte allows both the text and images to form part of a context that is different and unique within the tradition of a ‘Where’s Wally?’ style book. It is a work that can be read time and again, and each time we discover something new.”

Martin Salisbury, professor of illustration at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said: “I’m thrilled as Alle sammen teller, or ‘Everyone Counts’, is an extraordinary book which I’m sure will go on to win many more awards.  Kristin was an outstanding student and it was students like her that encouraged me to design the Master’s degree in Children’s Book Illustration here at ARU.”

Meanwhile, 10 ARU graduates are amongst the illustrators nominated for the annual CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal, which will be awarded on 17th June, 2020.