The Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award, established in 2010, recognizes authors who are inspired by the influential Danish author of literary fairy tales. Interestingly, the prize committee gave a retroactive 2007 prize to Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, who wrote The Alchemist. In the words of the prize committee: "Past recipients include writers who revel in narrative. They write fairy tales and magic realism. They portray wonder and the immanence of fantasy. In life's reverberations, they see a world permeated by the spiritual. Their writing transcends physical needs and realities. As do the works of H.C. Andersen "
The 2018 prize goes to British author A.S. Byatt "for her belief in the true value of fairy tales, fables, and poetry and for her historical fiction which innovatively brings the works of Andersen to life."