Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis (German Youth Literature Award)

どいつじどうぶんがくしょう

Germany's state-funded award for children's and young adult literature. Established in 1956, held annually, it honors outstanding works in multiple categories.

Picture BookChildren's BookYouth/Young Adult BookNon-fiction BookYouth Jury PrizeSpecial awards (Lifetime achievement, New talent)

Established: 1956
Organizer: Arbeitskreis für Jugendliteratur (AKJ) / Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth
Category: Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Selection Method: Recommendation
Target: Professional
Frequency: 1 per year
Application Deadline: around March
Announcement Period: around October
Status: Active

Description

The Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis is Germany's state-funded annual award for outstanding children's and young adult literature, established in 1956. Organized by the Arbeitskreis für Jugendliteratur (AKJ) with financial support from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, the prize recognizes works in Picture Book, Children's Book, Youth Book (YA), Non-fiction and a Youth Jury Prize. Up to six nominations per category are announced in March (Leipzig Book Fair) and winners are presented at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Prize

Main Prize: Per-category cash prize and a bronze statuette (Momo) designed by Detlef Kraft; additionally special awards for lifetime achievement and new talent.
Cash Prize: 10,000 EUR

Bronze statuette (Momo) designed by Detlef Kraft
Special award — Lifetime achievement: 12,000 EUR
Special award — New talent: 10,000 EUR

Selection

Selection Process

Stage	Judges	Pass Rate	Announcement
Nomination	Kritikerjury (Critics' Jury) — nominates up to six works per category; appointed by AKJ (changes every two years).	—	Nominations announced in March at the Leipzig Book Fair.
Final selection / Main prizes	Kritikerjury (Critics' Jury) — decides the majority of the prizes (nine members: chair + eight specialists, two per category).	—	Winners presented during the Frankfurt Book Fair by the Federal Minister (usually in October).
Youth Jury & Special awards	Jugendjury (Youth Jury) — members of six German youth book clubs (changes every two years). Sonderpreisjury (Special Award Jury) — three members, awards lifetime achievement/new talent (rotates yearly).	—	Youth Jury prize and special awards are announced at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Nomination

Judges Kritikerjury (Critics' Jury) — nominates up to six works per category; appointed by AKJ (changes every two years).

Announcement Nominations announced in March at the Leipzig Book Fair.

Final selection / Main prizes

Judges Kritikerjury (Critics' Jury) — decides the majority of the prizes (nine members: chair + eight specialists, two per category).

Announcement Winners presented during the Frankfurt Book Fair by the Federal Minister (usually in October).

Youth Jury & Special awards

Judges Jugendjury (Youth Jury) — members of six German youth book clubs (changes every two years). Sonderpreisjury (Special Award Jury) — three members, awards lifetime achievement/new talent (rotates yearly).

Announcement Youth Jury prize and special awards are announced at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Criteria

Outstanding literary quality and originality
Suitability and appeal to children and young adults
Artistic and illustrative quality (for picture books)
Contribution to children's and youth literature

Related Awards

Leipzig Book Fair (nomination announcements)
Frankfurt Book Fair (award ceremony and presentations)
AKJ (Arbeitskreis für Jugendliteratur) programs, nomination booklets and archives
Visibility via other international children's literature awards and prizes