Lubuto was nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA), known as the “Nobel prize for children’s literature,” for the 17th time this year. This global award is given annually to a person or organization for their outstanding contribution to children’s and young adult literature.

Astrid Lindgren, the great Swedish children’s author—creator of Pippi Longstocking—and crusader for children’s rights, said, “Everything big that occurred in the world occurred in someone’s imagination.” Lubuto started out in an imagination—an idea that grew from a clear understanding of the profound impact collections of great stories in welcoming and nurturing spaces (aka libraries) has on children of all ages.