Lee Suzy, the author and illustrator of the picture book "Summer is Coming," is the first Korean to win the Hans Christian Andersen Prize, which is known as the Nobel Prize of children's literature.
The International Board on Books for Young People on March 21 announced Lee as this year's winner of the award in the illustrator category at a news conference for the opening of the International Children's Book Fair in Bologna, Italy.
Founded in 1956, the award is named after the famed 19th-century Danish writer of children's stories.
The biannual award is given to a writer or illustrator who has continuously contributed to the development of children's literature. The Andersen Prize is considered the world's top honor for children's literature since all of the winner's works are reflected in the judging process.
The Korean Board on Books for Young People described Lee as "a writer who has constantly explored children's reality and their fantasy worlds through the book format since the 2002 release of her book 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,'" adding, "Lee is expanding the realm of expressions of picture books by navigating universal topics such as communion between humans and animals."
"It is also noteworthy that Lee features women in her works, usually girls who explore the world."
Lee began her picture book career in 2001. She received global attention after earning the prestigious Bologna Ragazzi Prize for two straight years, last year for "Summer is Coming" and this year for "Uroma."
