Marsh Award for Children's Literature in Translation facts for kids

The Marsh Award for Children's Literature in Translation was a special prize given in the United Kingdom. It was awarded from 1996 to 2017. This award celebrated the best translators of books for young readers. These books had to be translated into English from another language.

The award happened every two years. The Marsh Christian Trust helped pay for it. The award was first managed by a group at Roehampton University. Later, the English-Speaking Union took over in 2008.

Past Winners of the Marsh Award

This section lists the amazing translators who won the Marsh Award. They were recognized for their skill in bringing stories from other languages to English readers.

• 2017 – Helen Wang won for Bronze and Sunflower. This book was originally in Chinese by Cao Wenxuan.
• 2015 – Margaret Jull Costa won for The Adventures of Shola. This book was originally in Spanish and Basque language by Bernardo Atxaga.
• 2013 – Howard Curtis won for In the Sea There Are Crocodiles. This book was originally in Italian by Fabio Geda.
• 2011 – Martin Cleaver won for Letters to Anyone and Everyone. This book was originally in Dutch by Toon Tellegen.
• 2009 – Sarah Ardizzone (also known as Sarah Adams) won for Toby Alone. This book was originally in French by Timothée de Fombelle.
• 2007 – Anthea Bell won for The Flowing Queen. This book was originally in German by Kai Meyer.
• 2005 – Sarah Adams won for Eye of the Wolf. This book was originally in French by Daniel Pennac.
• 2003 – Anthea Bell won for Where Were You Robert?. This book was originally in German by Hans Magnus Enzensberger.
• 2001 – Betsy Rosenberg won for Duel. This book was originally in Hebrew by David Grossman.
• 1999 – Patricia Crampton won for The Final Journey. This book was originally in German by Gudrun Pausewang.
• 1996 – Anthea Bell won for A Dog's Life. This book was originally in German by Christine Nöstlinger.

Books Shortlisted for the Award

Each award year, a list of great books was chosen as finalists. This is called the "shortlist." Here are the books that made it to the shortlists over the years.

2017 Shortlist

• Oh, Freedom!, by Francesco D'Adamo, translated by Siân Williams (translator) (Italian)
• The First Case, by Ulf Nilsson, translated by Julia Marshall (Swedish)
• The Flying Classroom, by Erich Kastner, translated by Anthea Bell (German)
• Bronze and Sunflower, by Cao Wenxuan, translated by Helen Wang (Chinese)
• The Secret of the Blue Glass, by Tomiko Inui, translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori (Japanese)
• Little Black Fish, by Samed Behrangi, translated by Azita Rassi (Persian)

2015 Shortlist

• Waffle Hearts, by Maria Parr, translated by Guy Puzey (Norwegian)
• The Letter for the King, by Tonke Dragt, translated by Laura Watkinson (Dutch)
• My Brother Simple, by Marie-Aude Murail, translated by Adriana Hunter (French)
• The Good Little Devil and Other Tales, by Pierre Gripari, translated by Sophie Lewis (French)
• Anton and Piranha, by Milena Baisch, translated by Chantal Wright (German)
• The Adventures of Shola, by Bernardo Atxaga, translated by Margaret Jull Costa (Basque)

2013 Shortlist

• In The Sea, by Fabio Geda, translated by Howard Curtis (Italian)
• The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint–Exupéry, translated by Ros Schwartz and Chloe Schwartz (French)
• My Own Special Way, by Mithaa Alkhayyat, translated by Fatima Sharafeddini (Arabic)
• Themba, by Lutz van Dijk, translated by Karin Chubb (German)
• The Midnight Palace, by Carlos Ruiz Zafron, translated by Lucia Graves (Spanish)

2011 Shortlist

• The Pasta Detectives, by Andreas Steinhöfel, translated by Chantal Wright (German)
• Letters to Anyone and Everyone, by Toon Tellegen, translated by Martin Cleaver (Dutch)
• No and Me by Delphine de Vigan, translated by George Miller (French)
• David's Story by Stig Dalager, translated by Frances Østerfelt & Cheryl Robson (Danish)

2009 Shortlist

• My Brother Johnny, by Francesco D'Adamo, translated by Sian Williams (translator) (Italian)
• When the Snow Fell, by Henning Mankell, translated by Laurie Thompson (Swedish)
• Letters from Alain, by Enrique Perez Diaz, translated by Simon Breden (Spanish)
• Tina's Web, by Alki Zei, translated by John Thornley (Greek)
• Toby Alone, by Timothée de Fombelle, translated by Sarah Ardizzone (French)
• Message in a Bottle by Valérie Zenatti, translated by Adriana Hunter (French)

2007 Shortlist

• The Flowing Queen, by Kai Meyer, translated by Anthea Bell (German)
• The Book of Everything, by Guus Kuijer, translated by John Nieuwenhuizen (Dutch)
• A Bridge to the Stars, by Henning Mankell, translated by Laurie Thompson (Swedish)
• Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke, translated by Anthea Bell (German)
• Just Like Tomorrow, by Faiza Guène, translated by Sarah Adams (French)
• Mimus, by Lilli Thal, translated by John Brownjohn (German)

2005 Shortlist

• The Thief Lord, by Cornelia Funke, translated by Oliver Latsch (German)
• The Shamer's Signet, by Lene Kaaberbol, translated by the author (Danish)
• Playing with Fire, by Henning Mankell, translated by Anna Paterson (Swedish)
• Eye of the Wolf, by Daniel Pennac, translated by Sarah Adams (French)
• Kamo's Escape by Daniel Pennac, translated by Sarah Adams (French)

2003 Shortlist

• The Shamer's Daughter, by Lene Kaaberbol, translated by the author (Danish)
• Brothers, by Ted van Lieshout, translated by Lance Salway (Dutch)
• Dog, by Daniel Pennac, translated by Sarah Adams (French)
• Where were you, Robert?, by Hans Magnus Enzensberger, translated by Anthea Bell (German)
• Bambert’s Book of Missing Stories, by Reinhardt Jung, translated by Anthea Bell (German)

Translators Who Won Multiple Awards

Some translators were so good they won the Marsh Award more than once!

Anthea Bell won the Marsh Award three times (in 1996, 2003, and 2007). Sarah Ardizzone (who was also known as Sarah Adams) won the Marsh Award twice (in 2005 and 2009).

Anthea Bell and Patricia Crampton also won another important prize called the Mildred L. Batchelder Award. This award is given in the United States by the American Library Association for translated children's books. Anthea Bell translated four books that won this award between 1976 and 1995. Patricia Crampton translated two books that won in 1984 and 1987.