On April 11, Vilnius Old Theater celebrates International day of the Book of children and rewards authors and researchers of children’s books in 2025.

The prize for the best books for children and adolescents is a 1993 tradition of the Lithuanian Division of the International children and Youth literature Association (IBBY), which draws attention every year to the most valuable books for children published last year, to the new names of the book makers, to the processes and studies of children’s literature. The International children’s day is celebrated worldwide on April 2, celebrating the birthday of Hans Christianto Andersen, the great Danish storyteller. The festival was also held in Vilnius during a symbolic period on the eve of Easter, also known as children’s Easter.

Viltart Mickevičienė, President of THE Lithuanian Division, who opened the event, welcomed Lithuania’s wealth in producing talented books for children and young people, whose work attracts not only the readers of our country but also foreign readers. Together with IBBY, Secretary of the Board of Lithuania, literaturologue Dr Kristina Vaisvalavičiene, the Chair of the Association thanked publishers of valuable books, librarians, teachers, and readers who helped to find their way to children’s hearts.

Simona Bieliunas, Vice-emergent of Vilnius City Municipality, welcomed the participants and laureates of the festival, underlined that Vilnius is a UNESCO city of literature that is unimaginable without reading children and books for them. Vice-President noted that this year’s invitation by Cypriot IBBY, a Cypriot writer, environmental Commissioner and Commissioner for the protection of the Rights of the Child, Elena Perikleous, to plant stories to bring the world to bloom, makes a meaningful extension and adds new content to the idea of “Vilnius — European Green capital 2025” — caring for the environment, the harmony of nature and the city, so that future generations can also live happily there.

At the festival, prizes were awarded to the best authors and researchers of children’s books last year. One of the awards, the Vincas Auryla Prize, traditionally awarded for the study, criticism and promotion of children’s literature, was awarded this year to Asta Plechaviciute, Chief investigator of the Lithuanian national Martynas Mazvydas national Library of Lithuania’s children and Youth literature Centre, for her contribution to professional research into images and motivations in the literature of 21 st century children and adolescents in Vilnius City.

It has already happened that other writers, artists, and translators who have been identified as the best are from Vilnius or are related to Vilnius. The most important award of THE Lithuanian Department of IBBY — the Pranas Masiotas Name Prize — is awarded to the writer Justina Kapeckaitei for a novel for older teenagers Sonia Electrum (“Alma littera”). Even a two-bonus Laureta became an employee of the national Museum of Lithuania, archaeologist Sigita Miksaite who published a book of cognitive content for children History wagers its tail: brief stories of a long human-dog friendship in Lithuania (National Museum of Lithuania). Ms Miksaite was awarded the Aldona Liobyte Prize for the best debut for 2025 and the Prize for the best Book of knowledge for the year. Author Jurga will and artist Vilte Zumbakyte “700 lines”) is the best book of pictures, while the Domicele Tarabildiene Prize for the most beautiful illustrations has been awarded to the artist Ive Babilaire, who illustrates the story of Estonian writer Triinu Laan little lapik is rich (“700 lines”). Two prizes are awarded for the best translations of the year for children and adolescents. The eugeny Stravinskiene Prize was awarded to Nijole Regina Chiyenne, who had translated Dave’s Eggerson book for children in English and what was impossible (“Odile”), while Eric Sabaliauskaite, an interpreter who had translated Cécile’s Alix novel for teenagers from French, was awarded the Adam Druktenis Prize (the Debesch Publishing House).

We also took note of Vilnius as the capital of children’s literature, the students of the main school of Alizava in Kupishki district who attended the festival, the third students of Kaunas International Gymnasium, the fourth students of Vilnius St Joseph School, and the students of other schools in Vilnius who watched the festival.

The festive program was enriched by the amusement ensemble of the children of the maestro Arthur Novikas-led jazz school, and was crowned by the mood of the old theatre of Vilnius, My dad is a loaf (Agné Sunklodaite), based on a statement by Hans Christianto Andersen Prize winner David Almondbank.

The organisation of the event is the Lithuanian branch of the International children’s and Youth literature Association.

The event was funded by Vilnius City Municipality and the Lithuanian Council of Culture.

Sponsors: Raimondas Sarunas Marciulionis, Vilsentras UAB, Alumnus UAB, Sabelia UAB, Antanas Marcelionis, Alma littera UAB, Odile, Terra Publica, Vytautas Zirgulis.

Source: Vilnius City Municipality