The prize aims to increase and strengthen interest in children’s and young adult literature world wide. It is administrated by the Swedish Arts Council. The 5 million SEK (approximately 480, 000 Euro) annual award may be received by one or more authors, illustrators, oral storytellers or promoters of reading annually.Previous recipients are Maurice Sendak (2003), USA; Christine Nöstlinger (2003), Austria; Lygia Bojunga (2004), Brazil; Ryôji Arai (2005), Japan; Philip Pullman (2005), United Kingdom; Katherine Paterson (2006), USA; Banco del Libro (2007), Venezuela and Sonya Hartnett (2008), Australia.