The Ferdinand the Magnificent Award has been granted to the author and illustrator of a children’s book published in the previous year since 2016 and is the official culmination of each edition of the Children’s Literature Festival.
The name refers to the dog character loved by children, who was created by Ludwik Jerzy Kern in 1963. Funded by the City of Krakow, the Ferdinand the Magnificent Award is aimed at promoting literature and Polish authors and illustrators. Nominations for the award may include only publications addressed to male and female readers aged between 5 and 12.

The competition jury consists of:
- Barbara Gawryluk – award-winning author of children’s books, translator of Swedish literature and radio journalist;
- Marta Lipczyńska-Gil – owner of the Hokus-Pokus Publishing House for the last several years, publisher of the Ryms quarterly;
- Georgina Gryboś – programme editor of Radio Kraków Kultura. He runs a blog on literature: Literacka Kavka and the Literacka Kavka | Obce regały [Unfamiliar Shelves] podcast.
- Joanna Olech – writer, graphic artist, literary critic, populariser of literature for children and young people;
- Szymon Kloska – literary critic and activist, co-founder of the Children’s Literature Festival;
- Łukasz Dębski – novelist, screenwriter, author of children’s books, President of the Burza Mózgów [Brainstorming] Foundation and Programme Director of the Children’s Literature Festival.

Previous winners of the Ferdinand the Magnificent Award:
- 2024: Ziemianie [Earthlings] – text: Ewa Solarz, illustrations: Robert Czajka (Druganoga Publishing House)
- 2023: Antosia w bezkresie [Antosia in the Infinity] – text: Marcin Szczygielski (Latarnik Publishing Institute)
- 2022: Brud. Cuchnąca historia higieny [Dirt. The Stinking History of Hygiene]– text: Monika Utnik-Strugała, illustrations: Piotr Socha (Dwie Siostry Publishing House)
- 2021: Zielone piórko Zbigniewa. Skarpetki kontratakują! [Zbigniew’s Green Feather. Socks Counterattack!] – text: Justyna Bednarek, illustrations: Daniel de Latour (Poradnia K Publishing House)
- 2020: Beskid bez kitu [Beskid for Real]– text: Maria Strzelecka, illustrations: Maria Strzelecka (Libra Publishing House)
- 2019: Małe Licho i tajemnica Niebożątka [A Little Devil and the Mystery of the Poor Creature] – text: Marta Kisiel, illustrations: Paulina Wyrt (Wilga Publishing House)
- 2018: A niech to gęś kopnie [Holy Gee] – text: Marta Guśniowska, illustrations: Robert Romanowicz (Tashka Publishing House)
- 2017: Kościsko – text and illustrations by Karol KRL Kalinowski (Kultura Gniewu Publishing House)
For more information, please visit: www.fldd.pl.