YOKOHAMA, Japan - Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced 38 winning entrants of the 32nd Nissan Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix competition, organized by the International Institute for Children's Literature, Osaka. The program is part of Nissan's corporate citizenship activities.
Picture Book Grand Prize winning Chikashitsu no Nakade
The competition attracted 2,878 entries from amateur authors and illustrators between July and October last year, comprising 2,414 children's storybooks and 464 picture books. The Storybook Grand Prize was awarded to Nichiyoubi no Chiisana Bouken (A Little Sunday Adventure) by Miya Aikawa of Chiba Prefecture. The Picture Book Grand Prize was awarded to Chikashitsu no Nakade (Down in the Basement) by Kaori Yokosuka of Saitama Prefecture.
Winners of the Grand Prize and Special Prizes will receive cash and commemorative goods. Nissan will distribute leaflets introducing the top eight prize-winning works at Nissan Galleries throughout Japan, and two winning books will also be published by BL Publishing Co., Ltd. in December this year.
About the competition
The Nissan Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix competition 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. The competition attracts about 3,000 entries a year for the two categories, Storybook and Picture Book. By publishing the winning works, the competition provides talented amateur authors and illustrators with the opportunity to take their work professional. More than 100,000 entries have been received in the 32 years since the start of the program, and 57 books have been published.
Website: http://www.nissan-global.com/JP/CITIZENSHIP/FAIRYTALE/ (Japanese only)
Nationwide book donation
Over 32 years, Nissan has donated a total of more than 210,000 books to approximately 3,400 libraries and 700 kindergartens and nursery schools across Japan, as well as to Japanese schools and Japanese language schools outside Japan. Nissan has also been conducting various initiatives related to children and books, such as storybook reading events at the Nissan Global Headquarters Gallery in Yokohama.
Summary of Storybook Grand Prize winner
Nichiyoubi no Chiisana Bouken (A Little Sunday Adventure) depicts the struggle of an insect-fearing boy as he tries to shoo a mantis out of his house. The author’s outstanding scenic and emotional description enables the reader to share the boy’s nerves.
Summary of Picture Book Grand Prize winner
Chikashitsu no Nakade (Down in the Basement) tells the story of the communication between a boy and the basement where he keeps his toys. The author’s skillful depiction of the boy describing the outside world to the basement was highly regarded by the judges.
Additionally, three storybooks and three picture books were awarded Special Prizes, and 20 storybooks and 10 picture books received Excellent Prizes.
About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2014, the company sold more than 5.3 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 11.3 trillion yen. Nissan engineers, manufactures and markets the world's best-selling all-electric vehicle in history, the Nissan LEAF. Nissan’s global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan manages operations in six regions: ASEAN & Oceana; Africa, Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America and North America. Nissan has a global workforce of 247,500, and has been partnered with French manufacturer Renault under the Renault-Nissan Alliance since March 1999.
Blue Citizenship:
Blue Citizenship is the commitment of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. to realize our vision of Enriching People's Lives. We commit to our customers, shareholders, employees and the communities where we do business to deliver engaging, valuable and sustainable mobility for all. Through our business activities, we aim to create economic value and to actively contribute towards the development of a sustainable society.
Related Links:
CSR website http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/COMPANY/CSR/
Corporate Citizenship Activities website http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/CITIZENSHIP/
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