The French Institute’s Albertine bookstore in New York City has announced the winners of the 2025 Prix Albertine Jeunesse, a prestigious annual award celebrating francophone children’s literature translated into English. This year, nearly 15,600 students across 672 classes in 70 North American schools participated in the voting process.
The Prix Albertine Jeunesse, now in its seventh year, encourages children aged 3 to 11 to engage with francophone youth literature and choose their favorite books from a bilingual shortlist. The program supports bilingual and multilingual education by integrating the nominated titles into school curricula.
The 2025 winners are
Never, Not Ever (Même pas en rêve) by Beatrice Alemagna, translated by Jill Davis (L’école des loisirs)
Aiko and the Planet of Dogs (Aiko et la planète des chiens) by Ainhoa Cayuso and Christoffer Ellegaard, translated by Irene Vázquez (Les fourmis rouges)
Shepherdess Warriors (Bergères Guerrières) Volume 1 by Jonathan Garnier and Amélie Fléchais, translated by Ivanka Hahnenberger (Glénat éditeur de talents)
According to the organizers, these works were chosen for their literary and artistic excellence, unique perspectives, and strong appeal to young readers.
The award highlights the value of translation by having students evaluate each book in both French and English, fostering a deeper appreciation of language and storytelling. Teaching materials were provided free to educators to support classroom integration.
For more details on the books and program, visit the Albertine website.
