Editorial

In my Children's Literature class—a course that I teach every semester—the assignment that I enjoy the most is one in which the students present an illustrator or author from their own home country, or one that is important in their mother tongue. Since the class usually consists of 25 students from some 12–15 countries (most of them are exchange students), this always means that there is always great variation. It also means that there is a true learning experience for everyone, me included. I have learnt so much from these presentations over the years! I think, too, that the students have enjoyed learning from each other as well, rather than just from the teacher. It is also clear to me that everyone rises to the occasion when given an opportunity to speak about a work or an author/illustrator that is important to them.

On a larger scale, the Bologna Book Fair has a similar function. It's a place where publishers, countries, languages, tell the world about the greatness and beauty of their writers, their artists, their books. This too is a learning experience. And, to draw out the parallel further, Bookbird endeavours something along these same lines. Here we invite critics and other children's' book professionals to share their insights about children's books from all parts of the world, from all languages and traditions. Never is this mission more apparent than when it comes to the two HCA Awards' issues: the Nominees' issue, with its 60+ short presentations, and the Winners' issue, where the winners and shortlisted authors and illustrators are presented with in-depth articles by experts from their own countries. This is a flagship feature of Bookbird. Other academic journals present critical articles on different children's literature topics; we do too, in three out of four annual publications. But only Bookbird makes room once a year for presentations in which experts from all around the world explain what is remarkable and important about their chosen children's writer or illustrator.

To read these presentations is a learning experience. Even if we consider ourselves experts on children's literature, what we know best (if we are honest) is usually limited to our own national literature (which can be large in itself, of course), and maybe a handful international classics. Other than that, most of us may know a bit about the main contemporary (English) children's bestsellers, and spinoffs of the culture industry (Disney, Pixar, Studio Ghibli, etc.). When we read the presentations in this issue, however, we will make new acquaintances.

For instance, of the eleven authors and illustrators presented in this issue, most were new to me. I have read some of Joy Cowley's work. I know a little about Eiko Kadono because of the Miyazaki film, Kiki's Delivery Service. I have seen Iwona Chmielewska's book about Janusz Korczak. And being from Sweden, I of course know Ulf Stark's books very well (and knew him personally).

But the others are new to me.

If you, like me, want to get to know these champions of children's literature better, the presentations here are ideal. They are also a resource to return to—maybe one of the few available in English—of some of these outstanding creators of children's books.