- 18th Nissan Joyful Storybook and Picture Book Exhibition to be held in conjunction at the National Children’s Castle -

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced 38 winning stories including the Grand Prix award for the “26th Nissan Children’s Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix” organized by the International Institute for Children’s Literature, Osaka, as part of Nissan’s corporate citizenship activities. In conjunction with the Grand Prix, the “18th Nissan Joyful Storybook and Picture Book Exhibition” will be held from Saturday, March 20th through Monday, April 5th at the Atrium Gallery of the National Children’s Castle (Jingumae, Shibuya ward, Tokyo), in collaboration with Foundation for Child Well-being.

“Ondeko no Sora”, the Grand Prize Picture Book
from the 26th Nissan Children’s Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix

The 26th Nissan Children’s Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix attracted 2,666 entries from amateur authors and illustrators between July to October 2009, comprising 2,224 children’s storybooks and 442 picture books. The Storybook Grand Prize was awarded to “Tonno no Himitsu no Purezento” by Ms. Kingyo Tanaka of Tokyo. The Picture Book Grand Prize was awarded to “Ondeko no Sora” by Mr. Masaru Miyazaki and Ms. Toshie Miyazaki, also from Tokyo. Winners of the Grand Prize and Special Prizes will receive prizes in cash, exclusive goods as well as Nissan original goods while the winners of the Excellent Prizes will be awarded exclusive goods.

The two Grand Prize stories, “Tonno no Himitsu no Purezento” and “Ondeko no Sora”, will be published and made available in bookstores after December 2010, and also be donated to public libraries across the country. Further, Nissan will distribute leaflets introducing the eight Grand Prix and Special Prize works at the Nissan Galleries throughout Japan. The awards ceremony will be held at the company headquarters in Yokohama on Sunday, March 7.

Children’s Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix
The “Nissan Children’s Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix” commemorates the May 1984 opening of the International Institute for Children’s Literature, Osaka, which is Japan’s first comprehensive center for international children’s literature. Through the publication of the Grand Prize winners, the contest aims to provide children with inspiring and imaginative storybooks and picture books. The publications are donated through Nissan offices to approximately 3,300 libraries and 700 kindergartens and nursery schools across Japan. More than 168,000 books have now been donated since the start of this Grand Prix.

Source: http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS/2010/_STORY/100305-01-e.html