Jella-Lepman Medal facts for kids

The Jella Lepman Medal is a special award given to people and groups who have done amazing things for children's books. It's named after Jella Lepman, who was born in 1891 and passed away in 1970. She started two very important organizations: the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) and the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany. This medal was first created in 1991 to celebrate what would have been her 100th birthday. It was brought back again in 2005.

Who Was Jella Lepman?

Jella Lepman was a truly inspiring person who believed in the power of books for young people. After World War II, she worked hard to bring books and stories back into the lives of children in Germany. She understood that books could help children learn, heal, and connect with the world. Her vision led to the creation of IBBY, which is a global group dedicated to bringing books and children together. She also founded the International Youth Library, a huge collection of children's books from all over the world.

Why is the Medal Given?

The Jella Lepman Medal celebrates people and organizations that continue Jella Lepman's important work. It honors those who have made a lasting difference in the world of children's literature. This means they have helped create, share, or support books for young readers in a big way. The medal recognizes their dedication to making sure children everywhere have access to wonderful stories and knowledge.

Who Has Received the Medal?

Many amazing people and groups have been honored with the Jella Lepman Medal. They are recognized for their strong support of children's books and reading.

Early Winners (1991)

When the medal was first created in 1991, several important people and organizations received it. These were often founding members of IBBY or groups that helped children's literature grow.

• Richard Bamberger from Austria was honored for being a founding member and former President of IBBY.
• Jo Tenfjord from Norway was also a founding member and former Vice President.
• Fritz Brunner from Switzerland was recognized as a founding member and former treasurer.
• John Donovan from the USA was a former treasurer of IBBY.

Several organizations also received the medal in 1991:

• Pro Juventute in Switzerland.
• The International Youth Library in Germany, which Jella Lepman herself founded.
• The Biennale of Illustrations, Bratislava in Slovakia, an important event for picture book art.
• The Bologna International Children's Book Fair in Italy, a huge international book fair.
• The Asahi Shimbun Newspaper Company in Japan.
• The IBBY Documentation Centre of Books for Disabled Young People in Norway.

Recent Winners

The Jella Lepman Medal continued to be awarded to new heroes in children's literature.

• 2006: Hideo Yamada from Japan received the medal. He was honored for his generous support of IBBY and its projects through the IBBY-Yamada Fund. The Nissan Motor Co. from Japan was also recognized for their long-time support of the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Vincent Frank-Steiner from Switzerland received it for his expert financial advice to IBBY.
• 2010: Joan Glazer from the USA was awarded the medal. She was recognized for her great work as President of the Bookbird Inc Board, which is a journal about children's literature.
• 2014: Nami Island Inc. from South Korea received the medal. They were honored for sponsoring the Hans Christian Andersen Award.
• 2018: Katherine Paterson from the USA was recognized. She received the medal for her amazing contributions to IBBY.