2 Vietnamese candidates selected for Hans Christian Andersen Award for first time

The two candidates were chosen by the Vietnam chapter of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY).

The winners will be announced in April 2028 at the Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy.

However, the nomination does not necessarily represent a major breakthrough for Vietnamese children's literature over the past seven decades.

The reason is simply that Vietnam's IBBY chapter was established only a few years ago. 

The Hans Christian Andersen Award operates through a system in which national IBBY sections select outstanding authors and illustrators from their respective countries for nomination.

Established by IBBY in 1953, the Hans Christian Andersen Award is presented every two years.

It honors living authors and illustrators whose entire body of creative work has made outstanding, lasting, and groundbreaking contributions to literature and art for children.

The selection process considers not just individual works but also each candidate's overall creative career, artistic quality, consistency and significant contributions to children's literature and art.

The award has two categories: Author and Illustrator.

Nguyen Huu Quynh Huong has been nominated in the Author category, while Ta Huy Long is a candidate in the Illustrator category.

The nominations have been confirmed by the jury of the 2028 Hans Christian Andersen Award.

Contributions to Vietnamese children's literature, distinctive creative visions

The selected candidates have had a profound influence on creative work and contributed significantly to children's books and children's literature in Vietnam, according to Vietnam's IBBY chapter.

They also have deep, consistent creative visions and have made an impact beyond Vietnam through works translated into other languages, as well as appearances as speakers and guests at international events.

Nguyen Huu Quynh Huong, born in 1997, is an author, researcher, and reading-culture advocate who has made significant contributions to contemporary Vietnamese children's literature and picture books.

In her writing, she pursues an exploratory approach, bringing contemporary social issues into children's literature while connecting them with Vietnamese culture, collective memory, and folk traditions.

A distinctive feature of Huong's work is her interest in the complex experiences of human beings and the world in which children grow up.

Huong's influence has increasingly extended beyond Vietnam. Her works have been translated, introduced to international audiences, and featured in copyright exchanges across multiple markets.

She has also participated in book fairs, children's literature festivals, and professional exchange programs as a speaker and guest.

Alongside her writing, Huong conducts research, helps develop a new generation of authors and illustrators, promotes reading culture, and builds platforms to connect Vietnam's picture-book ecosystem.

She has also been nominated for the 2027 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, presented by the Swedish government, alongside illustrator Huynh Kim Lien.

Ta Huy Long is a familiar name in Vietnam's illustration community.

According to Vietnam's IBBY chapter, over the years, Long has developed a distinctive visual language that combines research into cultural materials with expressive visual storytelling.

His work has helped broaden approaches to presenting Vietnam's literary, historical and cultural heritage in books for young readers.

Through evocative imagery, Long has helped bring young generations closer to Vietnamese stories, symbols, and cultural memories. 

He also encourages readers to approach heritage not as a fixed body of knowledge but as a source of inspiration that can be continually explored and reimagined.