Tallinn Central Library awarded the “Järje hoidja” prize to Andrus Kivirähk for his book Tilda and the Dust Angel on the International Children’s Book Day, April 2nd.
The award is given to the author of the Estonian children’s or young-adult book that has been checked out most from the Tallinn Central Library over the past year. The author receives an art work based on his book and created by the students of the Pelgulinna Gymnasium of Tallinn. Previously, the author has received the prize in 2004 for his book Limpa and the Pirates.
Driving forces of Tilda and the Dust Angel are the past, memory and remembering. The main character of the book is dust. In Kivirähk’s writing dust is grand, enticing, and beautiful. Soft, fluffy, light, and fast – this is how something that is a nuisance to most of us is described in the book. The events concentrate on Tilda, a 9-year old girl who does not remember her deceased father. When Tilda is cleaning her room, she is visited by a Dust Angel. Now memories of her father start flowing back: his green eyes and reddish beard, visits to the zoo and fun play times. Due to the father who has become dust, the girl will also learn new things about her mother.
It is already the fourteenth time since 2004 the Tallinn Central Library awards the “Järje Hoidja” price. The award recognizes writers for consistently providing children and youth with worthy reading material. The award is presented prior to the International Children’s Book Day on 2 April. Previous winners include Anti Saar for “Pärt can’t do a backflip“ (2018), Reeli Reinaus for “The Verikambi Mill“ (2017), Ilmar Tomusk for “The Criminal Bank President: The Forensics Kids are Back” (2016), Aino Pervik „Mister Tee and Misses Coffee“ (2015). All of the previous winners may be found on the children’s page of the Tallinn Central Library.
The International Children’s Book Day is celebrated since 1967 on April 2nd, the birthday of the beloved fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen. Every year one section of IBBY (The International Board on Books for Young People) will prepare an international message and poster for the day. In 2019 the message „Book Help Us Slow Down” was prepared by the Lithuanian section of IBBY.
Photo: Dmitri Kotjuh
