Venezuelan Book Network Wins Lindgren Award

STOCKHOLM -- Banco del Libro, a nonprofit Venezuelan network that has distributed books to children for nearly half a century, is the 2007 winner of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for Literature.

The award, which includes a cash prize of $710,000, was established by the Swedish government in 2002 and is the largest children's book award in the world.

Banco del Libro, or the Book Bank, has helped distribute books in the South American country since 1960 and was honored as a pioneer in "disseminating books and promoting reading among children in Venezuela," the award jury said in announcing the honor on Wednesday.

"Enthusiasm, professionalism, closeness to the children and a refreshing lack of bureaucracy are the hallmarks of Banco del Libro's work, whether in shanty towns, mountain villages, universities or out in cyberspace."

The award is named after Astrid Lindgren, the beloved Swedish children's writer whose Pippi Longstocking -- a strong-willed girl with braided hair, freckles and mismatched stockings -- captivated generations of children around the world. Lindgren died in 2002.

"The Banco del Libro has had very difficult moments, moments of strong economic crises," Banco del Libro Executive Director Maria Beatriz Medina said. The prize money will go to continue its efforts and "reach other corners of the country where we haven't reached."

She said the organization has won other international prizes but that "this prize is the most important -- it is like the Nobel in the promotion of reading." It was the fifth time the organization was a candidate.

Banco del Libro, headquartered in Caracas, has started school library networks, founded a publishing company and runs Latin America's largest documentation center for children.

Last year's winner was American writer Katherine Paterson.

The award will be presented by Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria at a ceremony at Stockholm's open-air Skansen museum on May 30.

Associated Press writer Fabiola Sanchez in Caracas contributed to this report.