Eight books issued by Jordanian publishing houses on the short list of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature
25 books from eight countries compete for the award in its eighteenth edition
Abu Dhabi8 min read
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Jordanian publishing houses had a strong presence on the short list of the eighteenth edition of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature, with eight books issued by Jordanian publishing houses qualifying for the list, which includes 25 books competing across five categories, with the participation of 17 publishing houses from eight countries.
The Jordanian books were distributed across the various award categories, from early childhood to non-fiction books, highlighting the diversity of publications directed at children and young adults. In the "Early Childhood" category, two books qualified: "A Story Authored by Mama and Yahya", authored by Minat Allah Jalal and illustrated by Badram Kazerouni, and "The Cat Walked and Walked", authored by Nusaibah Al-Azaibi and illustrated by Lina Nadaf, both issued by Kalila wa Dimna Publishing and Distribution.
In the "Picture Book" category, the story "Fahman", authored by Masarra Touqan and illustrated by Maya Majdalani, issued by Kalila wa Dimna Publishing and Distribution, reached the short list. As for the "Chapter Book" category, it included the book "The Boy Named Azzouz", authored by Tamara Qashha and illustrated by Amani Youssef, issued by Al-Yasmin Publishing House, and the book "Minds Not Besieged", based on an idea by Lina Abu Shaaban, authored by Shireen Sbaneh, and illustrated by Shrouq Idris, Amani Al-Baba, Abdullah Al-Qawareeq, Naim Ajouli, and Diala Zada, issued by Jabal Amman Publishers.
In the "Young Adult Book" category, the book "The Absurd Planet", authored by Maria Dadouch and illustrated by Hani Mahfouz, issued by Jabal Amman Publishers, qualified. Also reaching the short list in the "Non-Fiction" category were two stories: "Wits Proverbialized", authored by Muhannad Al-Awaqouz and illustrated by Masouma Haji, issued by Alif Ba Ta Publishers, and "Groups", authored by Masarra Touqan and illustrated by Haya Halaw, issued by Kalila wa Dimna Publishing and Distribution.
According to a statement issued by the organizer of the award presented by "Etisalat", the eighteenth edition received 475 submissions from 20 countries, submitted by 148 publishers, with the participation of 324 authors and 231 illustrators. The growth in the number of nominations reached about 17% compared to the previous edition, while the number of participating publishers increased by 28%, and authors by 16%. 434 submissions met the award's conditions, and the works that reached the short list were chosen from them, while 41 submissions were excluded for not meeting the conditions. The geographical diversity of participating creators extended to include authors from 29 countries and illustrators from 33 countries.
The UAE topped the participation list by country of the publishing house for the second consecutive year, after the number of participating books increased from 111 books in the previous edition to 149 books, with a growth of nearly 34%. Egypt came next with 115 books, followed by Jordan with 52 books, Saudi Arabia with 43 books, and Lebanon with 27 books. The participation of Syrian publishing houses also increased from three books in the past edition to 11 participations in the current edition, reflecting the expansion of their presence compared to the previous edition.
At the category level, the "Picture Book" category topped the participations with 184 submissions, followed by the "Early Childhood" category with 112 submissions, then "Young Adult Book" with 85, "Chapter Book" with 67, and "Non-Fiction" with 27 submissions.
For the second year, the award continued to allocate its changing category to non-fiction books, in support of publications that provide knowledge to children and young adults in ways that combine informational accuracy with the attractiveness of text and illustrations, and respond to their curiosity and questions in various fields.
For her part, Marwa Al-Aqroubi, President of the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY), stated that the award was launched from Sharjah out of the belief that the Arabic child deserves a book that cares for their language and imagination, and provides them with a reading experience that rivals the finest written for children in the world.
She added that the expansion of participation in the current edition provides an opportunity to build upon this vision, read the trends of the children's book industry, and encourage investment in original content that meets the needs of new generations. She expressed her aspiration that the impact of the award will extend to providing richer, higher-quality, and more diverse reading choices that reach children in their homes, schools, and libraries.
She emphasized the award's interest in non-fiction books, due to the assistance they provide to the child in understanding the world in a precise and enjoyable language, expressing her aspiration for greater investment in this field, thereby placing books in the hands of children that develop their knowledge and their ability to question and discover.
The short list for the "Early Childhood" category, dedicated to children from birth to five years old, included five books: "Forms of Imagination", authored by Nasser Al-Dosari (Mr. Noon) and illustrated by Maya Majdalani, from Zingo Ringo Publishing House in Switzerland; "A Mouse in the Kitchen", authored by Alaa Mohammed Arafa and illustrated by Abboud Ahmed, from Arjooha Publishing House in the UAE; "A Story Authored by Mama and Yahya", authored by Minat Allah Jalal and illustrated by Badram Kazerouni, and "The Cat Walked and Walked", authored by Nusaibah Al-Azaibi and illustrated by Lina Nadaf, both from Kalila wa Dimna Publishing and Distribution in Jordan; and "Who Passed Here?", authored by Yamam Khartash and illustrated by Noha Gamal, from Dal Publishing and Distribution in the UAE.
As for the "Picture Book" category, dedicated to children from five to nine years old, it included "The Orange", authored and illustrated by Walid Taher, from Nahdet Misr Publishing House; "The Dear Cows", authored by Nahed Mohammed Al-Shawa and illustrated by Abd El-Aal Ahmed, from Noon Books: Nahed Al-Shawa Cultural Foundation in Canada; "The Cloud That Inhabited Our House", authored by Aisha Rashid Al-Mannai and illustrated by Maryam Mahmoud Moqaddam, from Ajyal in the UAE; "Fahman", authored by Masarra Touqan and illustrated by Maya Majdalani, from Kalila wa Dimna Publishing and Distribution in Jordan; and "Chaos", authored by Ali Al-Sabaan and illustrated by Hala Tareq, from Red Fox Library in the Sultanate of Oman.
In the "Chapter Book" category, dedicated to ages nine to twelve, the qualifying books were "Abu Al-Areef", authored by Nesma Sharif and illustrated by Maryam Al-Shain, from Al-Aaliya for Publishing and Distribution in Egypt; "The Twelfth Ginger", authored by Amal Nasser and illustrated by Naim Ajouli, from Kiwi Stories Publishing House in the UAE; "The Boy Named Azzouz", authored by Tamara Qashha and illustrated by Amani Youssef, from Al-Yasmin Publishing House in Jordan; "A Very Crazy Summer", authored by Basant Ibrahim and illustrated by Soheila Khaled, from Dar El Shorouk in Egypt; and "Minds Not Besieged", with an idea by Lina Abu Shaaban, authored by Shireen Sbaneh, and illustrated by Shrouq Idris, Amani Al-Baba, Abdullah Al-Qawareeq, Naim Ajouli, and Diala Zada, from Jabal Amman Publishers in Jordan.
The "Young Adult Book" category, dedicated to ages thirteen to eighteen, included the book "Alexandrian", authored by Yamam Khartash and illustrated by Hagar El-Shahat, from Mostakbal for E-Education and Printing in Egypt; "Gulnar and the Firebird", authored by Huda Al-Shawa and illustrated by Diala Zada, from Red Fox Library in the Sultanate of Oman; "Lulwa's Summer", authored by Anas Abu Rahma and illustrated by Lubna Taha, from Dinason in Palestine; "The Boy Who Lost His Dream", authored and illustrated by Reema Al-Shaal, from Roaya Publishing and Distribution in Turkey; and "The Absurd Planet", authored by Maria Dadouch and illustrated by Hani Mahfouz, from Jabal Amman Publishers in Jordan.
In the "Non-Fiction" category, dedicated to readers up to the age of eighteen, the qualifying books were "Ask Me Anything – Animals", authored by Basma Al-Khatri and illustrated by Shrouq Al-Tantani, from Arjooha Publishing House in the UAE; "Wits Proverbialized", authored by Muhannad Al-Awaqouz and illustrated by Masouma Haji, from Alif Ba Ta Publishers in Jordan; "According to the Proverb", authored by Dana Al-Husseini and illustrated by Heba Walid Yassin, from Zingo Ringo Publishing House in Switzerland; "Groups", authored by Masarra Touqan and illustrated by Haya Halaw, from Kalila wa Dimna Publishing and Distribution in Jordan; and "An Excursion of the Knowers with Arab and Muslim Scientists", authored by Muhannad Al-Awaqouz and illustrated by Omar Al-Fi, from Noon Books: Nahed Al-Shawa Cultural Foundation in Canada.
The jury relied in evaluating the works on the integration of the book's elements, including the originality of the idea, the quality of the text and illustrations, linguistic soundness, good printing, alongside the suitability of the content for the age group and its ability to provide an enjoyable and impactful reading experience.
The winners are scheduled to be announced and honored during the Sharjah International Book Fair on November 4, in recognition of their contributions to advancing Arabic children's literature and enriching reading options for new generations.
