Congratulations to Per Gustavsson for the Elsa Beskow Plaque 2014, awarded for the book Skuggsidan (The Shadow Side) 

Motivation of the Jury:

The book about the little boy who with the help of imagination challenges and overcomes his own fear, looks seemingly simple but has many dimensions. With the Shadow Side takes Per Gustavsson's artistry a new direction, the interplay between image and text across the spread shows a new way in his storytelling. The pictures show what the text cannot touch, something that takes place in the boy's inner or subconscious. Color treatment, at times consistently purple in various muted tones, strengthens a mysterious feeling and a contrast to the "normal" life. Playing with shadows, a whole shadow world that is emerging with many strange fantasy creatures, affirms imagination and invites the reader to rely on their own ability. And the pen - a symbol of the creative power and the human capacity to change. Per Gustavsson has written a rich book for all ages that has the potential to frighten, fascinate and change.

Elsa Beskow Plaque was instituted in 1958 by the Swedish Library Association and is annually awarded to the artist who made the previous year's best Swedish children's picture book or the best-illustrated Swedish children's book.

At the same time Anna Höglund is awarded the Nils Holgersson Plaque for the book Om detta talar man endast med kaniner, and Sarah Sheppard is awarded the Carl von Linné Plaque for her Fact Book Viktiga kartor: för äventyrare och dagdrömmare, as well as her collected works.

The award ceremony is held 20th October at Stadsbiblioteket in Stockholm.