French author Marion Brunet is the winner of the 2025 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world’s largest children’s book prize, with the laureate receiving five million Swedish kronor (nearly $500,000 at present exchange rates). The award was announced live from Stockholm on April 1, and broadcast simultaneously at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.
The ALMA jury’s citation states: “Marion Brunet’s books take place in a fiercely pulsating present with climate crisis and social vulnerability as recurring themes. In shimmering and crystal-clear prose, young people are portrayed in revolt against a corrupt society. The dark and violent parts of our world are explored in Brunet’s timely narratives, which are made timely by their links to myth and folklore. And counterforces are found in friendship, solidarity, and the beauty of nature.”
Boel Westin, chair of the jury, added: “Marion Brunet is a brilliant describer of young people’s lives in an increasingly materialistic and threatening world. Present and future intertwine in her luminous stories, where the boundaries of friendship and love are constantly tested. Her work cuts to the heart of our time.
Born in 1976, Brunet currently resides in Marseille. Making her debut in 2013 with the novel Frangine (Sister), Brunet has published 15 books—predominantly for teens, with select adult and children’s titles. Her most recent books are the second part of the trilogy Ilos and the novel Nos Armes, published in 2024. Brunet’s books have been translated into English, Spanish, Catalan and Russian.
The announcement in Bologna was followed by a toast and a panel in honor of the 80th anniversary of the publication of Pippi Longstocking, featuring a number of authors and illustrators and children’s literature experts. Celebrations are ongoing worldwide.
The ALMA award ceremony will take place on June 9 at the Concert Hall in Stockholm.
