Vietnamese expert becomes first Southeast Asian juror for Hans Christian Andersen Award

The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) has announced the 11-member international jury for the 2028 edition of the award, often regarded as the Nobel Prize of children's literature.

Quynh's appointment comes shortly after Vietnam secured its first-ever nominations for the award, with author Nguyen Huu Quynh Huong (Hu) and illustrator Ta Huy Long named as candidates.

This marks the first time in the award's more than 70-year history that Vietnam has both nominees and a representative on the judging panel.

According to IBBY, Quynh has more than 15 years of experience in children's publishing, editing, translation, and literacy development.

She has written or co-written nine children's books, translated 10 international picture books from English and French into Vietnamese, and organized workshops for authors, illustrators, and editors across Asia.

Quynh was nominated to the jury by the Vietnam Board on Books for Young People, the country's chapter of IBBY.

She pursued a master's degree in European literature in three European countries through the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters scholarship program.

In 2024, she became the second Vietnamese recipient of a research fellowship from the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany.

Presented every two years by IBBY, the Hans Christian Andersen Award recognizes outstanding lifetime contributions to children's literature in two categories: writing and illustration.