The award winning authors David Almond, and author/illustrator Michael Foreman have been nominated for the top prize in international children's literature. The Hans Christian Andersen Awards are given biennially to a living author and illustrator whose complete works have made a lasting contribution to children's literature. The award is given by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) and David Almond and Michael Foreman have been nominated by the British Section. Nominations have also been received from more than 50 other national sections.

The announcement of the winners will be made at the Bologna Children's Book Fair in March 2010 and the Awards will be presented later that year at the IBBY World Congress in Santiago de Compostela. Her Majesty Queen Margrethe ll of Denmark is Patron of these Awards.

David Almond and Michael Foreman will be talking about their work and signing copies of their books on Thursday 3 December 2009 at the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education, Webber Street, London SE1 8QW (near Waterloo station) starting at 6.30 for 7pm - see Events Calendar for details.