The "Lazarillo:" Spain's Most Prestigious Prize for Children's Literature

Abstract

The Lazarillo, Spain's oldest and most prestigious continuous prize for children's literature, was created to stimulate the production of good books for young readers. External conditions of the prize have been modified several times between 1958 and the present, in an apparent effort to adapt to changes in the sociopolitical climate and to balance such criteria as fairness and practicability. The annotated bibliography, presented here, of works that have won the prize for the text of highest literary quality shows that among the genres, narrative fiction predominates. The content of the prize winners over the years reflects Spain's gradual liberalization and opening to the outside world. Many prize-winning authors have influenced the evolution of children's literature through their innovations in form and content. Although the has not escaped criticism, the prize continues to enjoy great prestige in both Spain and Latin America. Key Word: Lazarillo Prize, children's literature, Spanish literature, twentieth-century literature, prizes