Literature – Frankfurt am Main – Youth literature prize for “Asterix” translator – culture
Frankfurt / Main (dpa) – The translator of “Asterix” and “Lucky Luke”, Gudrun Penndorf, received an award for her life’s work at the Frankfurt Book Fair. On Friday evening she received the “Special Prize Complete Works”, endowed with 12,000 euros, as part of the Youth Literature Prize. “Penndorf’s phenomenal linguistic achievement” could not be praised enough, in short the special prize jury. “Your creative renaming of the comic book staff, your meticulous research zeal, your apt puns set standards for translation to this day – not only of comics.”
The German Youth Literature Prize has been awarded since 1956 for excellent children’s and youth books and is endowed with a total of 72,000 euros. This year the jury examined over 667 titles and nominated 33 books. During the pandemic, reading gained importance for many children and young people, said Federal Youth Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD), according to the announcement. “Especially at this time, books have opened up a place of retreat for children and young people, where they can find themselves and their topics and recharge their batteries.”
The winner in the picture book category was “Invisible in the Big City” (Aladin) by the Canadian author and illustrator Sydney Smith. Marianne Kaurin’s novel “Somewhere is Always South” (Woow Books) was the best children’s book. The graphic novel “Sibiro Haiku” (Baobab Books) prevailed in the youth book category. The winner of the non-fiction book was “100 Children” (Gabriel) by Christoph Drösser, illustrated by Nora Coenenberg. The youth jury awarded “After the Fire” (dtv series Hanser). The “New Talents” special prize went to Lena Dorn. The jury attested that the translator from Czech had an impressive talent for language skills.
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