The Nissan Children’s Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix is one of the many corporate citizenship initiatives undertaken by the company. The Grand Prix comprise of two main categories -- children’s storybook and picture book. There are many sub-categories of prizes with total of 38 winners selected from the numerous entries received each year. The two grand-prize winning entries are published over an approximately 10-month period for commercial retailing.

Each year, Nissan donates these books to around 3,550 public libraries throughout Japan and approximately 670 kindergartens and nursery schools near Nissan offices. A total of 143,000 books have been donated since the first Grand Prix in 1984.

Both the books by the 22nd Grand Prix winners - “Mizuiro no Ashihire” (Light Blue Flipper; written by Madoka Sato, illustrated by Hiromi Ohnishi) in the children’s storybook category and “Haru to Kaminari” (Haru and Kaminari; by Minako Chiba) in the picture book category - were published in December 2006. Nissan has donated these books to various children and eductional organizations from December through February. In the prefectures where we have a Nissan plant, representatives from Nissan’s offices and regional sales companies attended the book presentation ceremonies held at central libraries. Similar ceremonies to commemorate the book donation were also attended by sales company representatives in several other prefectures where Nissan does not have existing operations.

Nissan hopes to continue the Grand Prix with the aim of cultivating talented new writers and their works, as well as to bring the type of storybooks and picture books that fuel dreams and imagination to the children.

Links
International Institute for Children’s Literature, Osaka
http://www.iiclo.or.jp/

Best Library Publishing
http://www.blg.co.jp/blp/