Two Ukrainians shortlisted for Andersen Literature Award

Two Ukrainian writers have been shortlisted for the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award 2026.

Source: National Library of Ukraine for Children

Details: This year's nominees from Ukraine are writer Sashko Dermanskyi and artist and writer Kateryna Shtanko.

The Ukrainian section of the International Board on Children's and Youth Books (IBBY) nominated them.

The full list of nominees is not yet available. It will be published on 31 March.

Sashko Dermanskyi is a children's writer and a member of Ukraine's National Union of Writers. He won the BBC News Ukraine Book of the Year award in 2018 in the Children's Book category and has won the all-Ukrainian Book of the Year award many times.

Kateryna Shtanko is an artist and writer. In 2014, her children's book Dragons, Go! won the BBC Ukrainian Book of the Year Award (now the BBC News Ukraine Book of the Year Award).

Every two years, the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award is awarded to writers and artists who have made remarkable contributions to children's literature.

It takes place on 2 April, Andersen's birthday. The highest award is the Gold Medal which bears the storyteller’s profile.

Background: In 2024, a scandal erupted around the Andersen Literature Award. Russian Anastasia Arkhipova was supposed to be one of the jury members. However, after several countries protested and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark refused to patronise the prize, she was removed.

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