In September, Stephen King received The Hans Christian Andersen Special Literature Award, presented by The Hans Christian Andersen Literature Committee. The award is given for King’s “unique ability – similar to Hans Christian Andersen – to use imaginative storytelling to explore the dark and sinister sides of human life, while captivating millions of readers worldwide.”

This is the first time that the committee has awarded a special prize. The main prize, The Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award, was first awarded in 2007 and is given every two years – the next time in 2026. Recipients include J.K. Rowling, Isabel Allende, Sir Salman Rushdie, Haruki Murakami and Margaret Atwood.