Chinese illustrator Cai Gao won the 2026 Hans Christian Andersen (HCA) Award, with the announcement made on Monday at the Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy. Cai is the first Chinese illustrator to win the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international honor for writers and illustrators of children's literature. In 2016, Chinese author Cao Wenxuan became the first Chinese recipient in the writer category.
Born in 1946 in Changsha, China, Cai has worked in publishing and children's book creation since the 1970s, remaining deeply committed to the development of children's illustration in China. Her works, including "The Land of Peach Blossom" and "Bao'er," have gained popularity both at home and abroad. (Photos by Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan, Source: Xinhua) #国际安徒生奖#