The Friedrich-Bödecker-Award is awarded every two years by the Friedrich-Bödecker-Kreis for special achievements in the field of recent German-language children's and youth literature. Christine Nöstlinger received it in 1973 for the five children's novels she had written up to then: “Die feuerrote Friederike”, “Die Kinder aus dem Kinderkeller”, “Die drei Posträuber”, “Mr. Bats Meisterstück” and “Wir pfeifen auf den Gurkenkönig”.

© Newspaper clipping of the award ceremony | Hannover Zeitung

The German Youth Literature Prize (until 1981: German Youth Book Prize) is a state prize for literature. It was founded in 1956 by the then Federal Ministry for Family Affairs and is awarded annually for outstanding works of children's and youth literature. Christine received the German Youth Book Prize as the first author from Austria for “Wir pfeifen auf den Gurkenkönig”.

© Poster of the publishing house for the awarded books

The Mildred L. Batchelder Award is presented annually by the American Library Association to U.S. publishers of children's books who originally published and translated children's books in other markets and brought them to the American market. Christine received the award in 1977 for “Konrad oder Das Kind aus der Konservenbüchse”.

© Illustration of the first edition | Verlagsgruppe Oetinger, Frantz Wittkamp

In 1979 Christine received the Austrian State Prize for Children's and Youth Literature for the second time for “Rosa Riedl, Schutzgespenst”. The Austrian Children's and Youth Book Prize (formerly the Austrian State Prize for Children's and Youth Literature) is a state prize of the Republic of Austria, which is awarded once a year as a literature prize for books published by Austrian publishers and books by Austrian authors from non-Austrian publishers. Prizes are awarded for the best picture, children's, youth and non-fiction book. Another ten books are selected for the collection.

© Cover of the first edition | Verlag Jugend & Volk

The City of Vienna annually endows children's and youth book prizes to promote valuable children's and youth literature. These are intended for the best newly published children's and youth books by authors and illustrators living in Austria whose works were published by Viennese publishing houses in the year of the award ceremony or in the previous year. Three children's and youth book prizes and one illustration prize are awarded annually. Christine received the Youth Book Prize of the City of Vienna in 1980 for “Dschi-Dsche-i Wischer Dschunior”, the book with the Wischer letters to the radio series.

© Cover of the first edition | Verlag Jugend & Volk, das Buch mit den Wischer-Briefen zur Radio-Serie.

In 1982 Christine was awarded the “Silver Pen” for “Maikäfer flieg” (“Het huis in Niemandsland”). The Zilveren Griffel (Silver Stylus) is a Dutch literary prize that has been awarded annually for children's books by the Stichting Collectieve Propaganda van Het Nederlandse Boek since 1971. Unlike the Gouden Griffel, it can also be awarded for translated books.

© Cover of the first edition 1973 | Beltz & Gelberg publishing house

The Hans Christian Andersen Prize is awarded every two years by the IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People), an international board of trustees from 70 countries. It is named after the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) and is considered the most important international award for children's book authors and illustrators. This international children's and youth literature prize is therefore also known as the “small Nobel Prize”. Every two years the International IBBY Congress elects a new jury. The prize is a purely honorary award with a gold medal. The patron is Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.

Christine received the Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1984 for her complete works.

© Hans Christian Andersen Medal

The Johann Nestroy Ring, which was donated by the City of Vienna on the occasion of the 175th anniversary of Johann Nestroy's birthday in 1976, is an award that was presented annually until 1999 to persons who, through extraordinary and unusual achievements, have rendered outstanding services to the City of Vienna in the cultivation of satirical-critical portrayal of the essence of this city and its population in the spirit of Nestroy and have expressed this criticism at the highest intellectual level. Christine received the ring in 1986 for her complete works.

The Mayor of Vienna Helmut Zilk and Christine Nöstlinger at the presentation of the Nestroy Ring

In 1986 Christine was awarded the ZDF's prize for bookworms for “Man nennt mich Ameisenbär”.

© Cover of the first edition 1986 | Verlagsgruppe Oetinger 

Another, third time in 1987, the Austrian Children's and Youth Book Prize was awarded to Christine, this time for “Der geheime Großvater”. The book was also awarded the Children's Book Prize of the City of Vienna.

The Austrian Children's and Youth Book Prize (formerly the Austrian State Prize for Children's and Youth Literature) is a state prize of the Republic of Austria, which is awarded once a year as a literature prize for books published by Austrian publishers and books by Austrian authors from non-Austrian publishers. Prizes are awarded for the best picture, children's, youth and non-fiction book. Another ten books are selected for the collection.

© Cover of the first edition 1987 | Jugend & Volk

1988 the state prize for “The most beautiful books of Austria” went to the publishing house Jugend & Volk for the book “Iba di gaunz oaman Mauna”.

The prestigious Zurich children's book prize “La Vache qui lit” goes to Christine in 1990 for the book “Der Zwerg im Kopf”.

Presentation of the award

Once again, the Children's and Youth Book Prize of the City of Vienna goes to Christine in 1991 for “Sowieso und überhaupt”. The book is also placed on the list of honour of the ten best books for the Austrian Children's and Youth Book Prize.

The book “Nagle einen Pudding an die Wand” was awarded the Prize of the bookworms of the ZDF in 1991.

© Cover | Oetinger Publishing Group

In 1992 Christine is awarded the Prize of the Finnish Society for Children for “Krankengeschichten vom Franz”.

The Children's Book Prize of the City of Vienna was awarded to Christine in 1992 for “Mini muss in die Schule”.

In 1993 the Stiftung Buchkunst awarded first prize to Christine Nöstlinger's book “Ein und alles” (illustrations by Jutta Bauer). 

© Cover | Beltz & Gelberg

In 1994 Christine received the EA Generali Special Prize of the Hans-Czermak Prize of the Association of Viennese National Education for a non-violent education for her complete works. The Hans Czermak Prize is a prize of the Verband Wiener Volksbildung in cooperation with the City of Vienna, the Generali Group Austria and the ORF. The prize is awarded in memory of the paediatrician and university professor Hans Czermak, who worked for the humane and non-violent upbringing of children.

The book “Am Montag ist alles anders” was awarded the Steirische Leseeule (Styrian Reading Owl) in 1997.

The Honorary Prize of the Austrian Book Trade for Tolerance in Thought and Action was awarded to Christine for her complete works in 1998.

In June 2003, Christine was awarded the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class, by Federal President Dr. Thomas Klestil. The Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art (short: Decoration of Honour) is the highest federal award awarded by the Republic of Austria for scientific or artistic achievements. This visible distinction represents the highest esteem and is awarded exclusively “to persons in Austria and abroad who have gained general recognition and an outstanding name through particularly outstanding creative achievements in the fields of science or art”.
 

In memory of a great feminist, the idea of awarding a “Johanna Dohnal Recognition” was born in 2010. The prize is awarded every year during the annual conference of the SPÖ Federal Women (Federal Women's Organisation of the Austrian Social Democratic Party). This recognition is awarded to women and institutions that have made remarkable achievements according to feminist principles and also in the spirit of the SPÖ women. Christine was the first recipient of the Johanna Dohnal Recognition and was awarded for her complete works.

In 2011 Christine's book “Lumpenloretta” was selected as one of ten books for the Austrian Children's and Youth Book Prize collection.

The “Buchliebling Lifetime-Award” (The Book Favourite) is an Austrian literature prize that has been awarded annually since 2006 and is presented in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, the WKO Fachverband Buch- und Medienwirtschaft (Professional Association of the Book and Media Industry) and the ORF. The prize is awarded every year on World Book Day, 23rd of April. It is an audience award. In 2011, Christine received the Book Favourite Lifetime Award for her complete works.

With this prize, the jury acknowledges the many years of work of the versatile, critical and perhaps sometimes uncomfortable Austrian author, who has always stood up for human freedom with her books, especially her children's books, and here again in particular has fought for the independence and self-determination of children and young people.

(From the jury's statement)

© Buchliebling Lifetime-Award statuette

In 2011, Christine received the “Corine - International Book Prize” for her life's work. The Corine was awarded on the initiative of the Bavarian chapter of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels and under the patronage of the Bavarian Minister President from 2001 to 2011. The Corine was awarded to German and international authors “for outstanding literary achievements and their public recognition”.

The Bruno Kreisky Prize for the political book has been awarded annually since 1993 by the Karl Renner Institute in Vienna in memory of former Austrian Chancellor and SPÖ party leader Bruno Kreisky. In addition to the main prize, special prizes are awarded for a life's work, for special achievements in publishing and for recognition. In the spirit of Bruno Kreisky's life and work, the prize honours and promotes political literature that stands for freedom, equality, social justice, solidarity, tolerance, the fight against right-wing extremism and for the freedom of art. In 2011, Christine received the special prize for her complete works in journalism.

The book “Guter Drache, böser Drache” was selected in 2013 for the collection of the ten best books for the Austrian Children's and Youth Book Prize.

For her book “Als mein Vater die Mutter der Anna Lachs heiraten wollte”, Christine received the Austrian Children's and Youth Book Prize for the fourth time in 2014. The Austrian Children's and Youth Book Prize (formerly the Austrian State Prize for Children's and Youth Literature) is a state prize of the Republic of Austria which is awarded once a year as a literature prize for books published by Austrian publishers and books by Austrian authors from non-Austrian publishers. Prizes are awarded for the best picture, children's, youth and non-fiction book. Another ten books are selected for the collection.

Folder for the award certificate | (c) Illustration by Michael Roher