Celebrating achievements in children’s and young adult literature, the International Jānis Baltvilks Award was presented for the 22nd time on 24 July, the birthday of Jānis Baltvilks.
The Jānis Baltvilks Award is Latvia’s most prestigious national award for children’s and young adult literature and has provided professional recognition of excellence in the field since 2005. The award aims to foster the development of children’s literature in Latvia, promote its international recognition, and strengthen the tradition of book reading in society.
This year, the International Award was presented to Norwegian author Maria Parr for her book Mēs ar Tūru (Liels un mazs, 2025) and to its translator, Jolanta Pētersone. Unfortunately, the author was unable to attend the ceremony. She was represented by Ragnhild Malfang, President of the Norwegian section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), and Siri Larsen, responsible for international cooperation, who spoke about the award-winning author’s standing in her home country:
“For those who have read Maria Parr’s books, the word ‘togetherness’ will immediately resonate.
A sense of togetherness can be found in every sentence she writes. Unlike some other authors, Parr does not rely on shocking plot twists, spectacular action scenes, or variations in the narrative through comics or shifts in time.
She writes in a calm manner and tells her stories in a linear structure, without maintaining prolonged suspense or ending chapters on unresolved cliffhangers. Indeed, she trusts the story. She allows the magic of everyday life and the wonder of existence to shine through every word, creating a safe space for everyone.
Life happens in her books. The joy of playing outdoors, talking to friends, neighbours and people encountered by chance, as well as an ability to accept people as they are – different, yet equally important.
To some readers, Parr’s books may seem like fantasy: trustworthy adults, peaceful surroundings and the experiences of everyday life. Yet in this chaotic world, we need to see that such a childhood can exist and strive to make it a reality for children around the world.”
Translator Jolanta Pētersone was congratulated by Anne Laug Rønneberg, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. and Counsellor at the Royal Norwegian Embassy.
The Jānis Baltvilks Award for Writing was presented to Osvalds Zebris for his book Andris un Kalna Klapētājs (Liels un mazs, 2025). In explaining their decision, the jury highlighted the creation of a vivid grandfather character shaped by life experience, the portrayal of the rich emotional world of a curious and active child, and the affirmation of fundamental human values. The book skilfully blends fantasy and reality and reveals the strength that emerges through cooperation between generations.
Marta Folkmane was recognised for the best illustrations. Her illustrations for the book Moka un Robers (Liels un mazs, 2025) combine events from the present and the past, viewed from the perspectives of both a dog and a human. Using a traditional drawing technique, she subtly distinguishes between the two worlds through colour and perspective, creating an emotionally engaging experience for the reader. The artist has succeeded in creating an immersive, cinematic and delicately healing visual narrative.
The International Jānis Baltvilks Award is financially supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, Riga City Municipality and JSC “Latvia’s State Forests” (Latvijas valsts meži). The award programme is organised in cooperation with the International Writers’ and Translators’ House and the National Library of Latvia, with media support from JSC “Latvijas Mediji”, LSM.lv, Latvian Television and Latvian Radio. This year, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Latvia and the Norwegian section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) also contributed to organisation of the event.