One of the most distinguished younger illustrators is Lisbeth Zwerger, awarded the
International Hans Christian Andersen Award for illustration in 1990. Her ink and
watercolour illustrations are unmistakable in their style and expressiveness. Her
characters are shown in dance-like movements, suggestive of pantomime, a style
particularly suitable for the many fairy tales she has illustrated. Beginning in 1977 with
Das fremde Kind [The Strange Child], a fairy tale by E.T.A.Hoffmann, she has been
inspired by the works of the Grimm Brothers, Hans Christian Andersen and Oscar Wilde
to produce her characteristic illustrations, which are familiar in many countries.
In Austria, a flourishing children’s literature is supported by a comprehensive network
of institutions. The Children’s Book Award of the city of Vienna, (1954–) and the
Austrian National Children’s and Juvenile Book Award (1955–) were both established to
encourage high standards in publishing for children, and have been given for both
fiction and non fiction to books written for various age groups. The International
Institute for Children’s Literature and Reading Research was established in 1965. It
actively promotes children’s books through special events, provides guidance in book
selection for teachers and librarians and organises exhibitions.
The Austrian Children’s Book Club was founded in 1949 to fill an urgent educational
need; its main object is to stimulate interest in reading amongst young people. It
operates throughout the Austrian school system and also covers pre-school groups,
publishes magazines and annuals about books, recommends specific titles, issues
literary anthologies and cooperates with publishers and booksellers to make
recommended books available at discounted prices.
Further ReadingBarker, K. (1992) ‘Standing your own company: the novels of Christine Nöstlinger’, The School
Librarian 40, 1:6–7.
Binder, L. (1979) ‘World War II in books read by Austrian children: from propaganda to experience’,
Bookbird 3:8–13.
——(nd) Österreichische Kinder- und Jugendliteratur, Vienna: International Institute for Children’s
Literature and Reading Research, with assistance from the Austrian Ministry for Education
and Arts.
Bücher haben ihren Preis. 30 Jahre Hösterreichischer Kinder- und Jugendbuchpreis (1985), Vienna:
Austrian Ministry for Education, Art and Sports.
Freiheit ist besser als Speck. Text für Mira Lobe, zusammengestellt zu ihrem 80. Geburststag (1993),
Vienna: Jugend und Volk; Mödling: St Gabriel.
International Institute for Children’s Literature and Reading Research (ed.) (1994) Lexikon der
österreichischen Kinder- und Jugendliteratur. Vol 1: Autoren und Übersetzer. Vol 2:
Illustratoren, Vienna: Buchkultur-Verlagsgesellschaft (including short summaries in English).
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