TOKYO (Dec. 14, 2007) - Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. will publish two winning works from the 23rd "Nissan Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix" held last year. The books will be published by BL Publishing Co., Ltd., and will retail at bookstores nationwide.
The published books are titled "Hotaru no Kawa" by Hitomi Ohtsuki and "Suika Bozu" by Shinya Tomita - winners of the Children's Storybook Grand Prize and Picture Book Grand Prize respectively. The former was illustrated by Noriko Hiroi, winner of the Children's Picture Book Grand Prize from the 18th Grand Prix for "Mimiyoppo".
To promote children's literature to a wider audience, Nissan will be donating copies of these books to about 3,500 libraries nationwide as well as about 650 local nursery schools and kindergartens. Since the 1st Grand Prix begun in 1984, Nissan has donated up to 150,000 books nationwide, bringing the joys and educational value of reading to children of all ages.
| "Hotaru no kawa" and "Suika Bozu" |
Submissions for this year's 24th Nissan Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix ended on October 31. The award ceremony is scheduled for March 2008 at the Nissan Yokohama Club in Yokohama, Kanagawa.
Information on the Grand Prix is available at the following site:
www.nissan-global.com/JP/CITIZENSHIP/FAIRYTALE/index.html (Japanese only)
The Nissan Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix is a competition, inaugurated in May 1984, for original storybooks and picture books from amateur writers. The International Institute for Children's Literature, Osaka, is the main organizer of the contest with Nissan as co-sponsor. The Grand-Prix is designed to attract fresh talents and uncover new writers and works, as well as provide children with more inspiring and imaginative storybooks and picture books. Each year, the contest attracts a wide spectrum of writers and receives a large number of storybooks and picture books entries. A special feature of this Grand Prix is the publication of the winning works, which offers budding writers the opportunity to enter into the competitive arena of children's book publishing and eventually become professional writers.
<Children's storybook>
Title: "Hotaru no Kawa"
The main characters are Shingo and Naoki, who celebrate their birthdays in winter just one day apart. They plan to celebrate their birthdays together, but instead end up in a quarrel. The story begins when Naoki visits Shingo on the night of Shingo's birthday.
Author: Hitomi Ohtsuki
Lives in Kanagawa. Winner of the 23rd Nissan Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix.
Illustrator: Noriko Hiroi
Lives in Saitama. Winner of the 18th Nissan Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix. for "Mimiyoppo".
Format: 24x18cm, 32 pages, 4-color printing
Price: 1,300 yen (tax excluded)
<Picture book>
Title: "Suika Bozu"
Main character "Suika Bozu" is very confident that he is the strongest. He challenges the chiefs of mountains and seas, and is victorious each time. But there is someone that Suika Bozu cannot defeat. The illustrations are highly creative and offer readers a unique view of the world.
Author: Shinya Tomita
Lives in Fukuoka. Winner of the 23rd Nissan Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix.
Format: 27x21cm, 32 pages, 4-color printing
Price: 1,300 yen (tax excluded)
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