Chinese illustrator Cai Gao wins Hans Christian Andersen Award

Xinhua
14 Apr 2026, 00:45 GMT+10

Cai Gao is the first Chinese illustrator to win the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international honor for writers and illustrators of children's books.

BOLOGNA, Italy, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese illustrator Cai Gao won the 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award, with the result announced on Monday at the Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy.

Shereen Kreidieh, the president of HCA Jury, announced the award at the annual press conference of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) during the fair.

Kreidieh told Xinhua that Cai's works demonstrate exceptional quality, artistry and emotional engagement. "The way she sees the world is beautiful," she added.

Cai is the first Chinese illustrator to win the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international honor for writers and illustrators of children's books. In 2016, Chinese author Cao Wenxuan became the first Chinese recipient of the writer award.

The award has been given since 1956 by the IBBY, the leading international organization for the promotion of children's books, and is awarded every other year to a living author and illustrator whose complete works have made a lasting contribution to children's literature.

Born in 1946 in Changsha, China, Cai has spent decades in publishing and children's book creation since the 1970s, remaining deeply committed to the development of children's illustration in China. Her works, including "The Land of Peach Blossom" and "Bao'er", have gained popularity both in China and internationally.

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