Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature facts for kids
The Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature is a special prize for Arabic books written for young people. It was started in 2009 by a group called the Arab Children's Book Publisher’s Forum.
This award is supported by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, who leads the UAEBBY (United Arab Emirates Board on Books for Young People). Since 2010, the UAEBBY has been in charge of organizing the prize. Each year, the winners are announced at the Sharjah International Book Fair.
Contents
What Books Can Enter?
To enter this award, books must follow a few rules. The book must be written in Arabic. It needs to be an original story, not a translation or a copy of another work. Also, it must have been published within the last three years.
A book cannot have won any other awards before. Its content must also fit with the values and customs of Arab communities. The award is for children's books aimed at ages 0 to 14. Each publishing company can suggest up to three different books.
The Big Prize Money
The Etisalat Award offers a total prize of DH 1,000,000. This money is split between the people who created the book. Half of the prize goes to the author or illustrator. The other half goes to the publisher.
From 2009 to 2012, this award was one of the biggest literary prizes in the world for a single winner.
New Award Categories Since 2013
In 2013, the award changed to include new categories. The 1,000,000 AED prize money is now divided among these different awards:
- Best Text: 100,000 AED for the best writing.
- Best Illustration: 100,000 AED for the best pictures in a book.
- Best Production: 100,000 AED for how well the book is made.
- Best Children's Book of the Year: 300,000 AED, shared by the author, illustrator, and publisher.
- Best Young Adult Book of the Year: 200,000 AED, shared by the author and publisher.
- Etisalat Award Workshops for Children’s Books: 200,000 AED for workshops that help create more great children's books.
Past Winners
Here are some of the amazing books and creators who have won the Etisalat Award.
Winners from 2009-2012
During these years, the main winner received 1,000,000 AED.
| Year | Author | Title | Illustrator | Publisher | Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Nabiha Muhaidali | Ana Oheb ("I Love") | Nadeen Saidani | Dar Al Hadaeq | Lebanon | |
| 2010 | Walid Taher | Al Noqta Al Sawda ("The Black Dot") | Walid Taher | Dar El Shorouk | Egypt | |
| 2011 | Amani Al Ashmawi | Teari Ya Tayara (Fly Away Kite) | Nahdet Misr | Egypt | ||
| 2012 | Nabiha Mheidly | Creatures on the Ceiling | Hassan Zahreddine | Hadaek Group | Lebanon |
Winners from 2013 Onwards
Since 2013, the award has been given out in different categories.
2013 Winners
- Best Children's Book of the Year: Rod of Racemes by Afaf Tobala (author) and Hanadi Sleet (illustrator), published by Nahdet Misr Publishing House.
- Best Young Adult Book of the Year: Ajwan by Emirati writer Noura al Noman, published by Nahdet Misr Publishing House.
- Best Text: My Mum Jadida by UAE writer Mariam Suhail Al Rashedi.
- Best Illustration: Rod of Racemes by illustrator Hanadi Sleet.
- Best Production: When You Get Angry by Asala Publishing House.
2014 Winners
- Best Children's Book of the Year: Naughty Kitty by Abeer Ibrahim Taher (author) and Maya Fidawi (illustrator).
- Best Young Adult Book of the Year: Extraordinary Journeys to Unknown Places by Sonia Nimr (author) and Lubna Taha (illustrator).
- Best Text: My Mom Loves Fattoosh by Eva Kosma (author).
- Best Illustration: The Pomegranate Girl by Rania Zbib Daher (author) and Joelle Achkar (illustrator).
- Best Production: Clever Walker by Nabiha Mheidly (author) and Hassan Zahreddine (illustrator).
2015 Winners
- Best Children's Book of the Year: The Judge's Mule by Shafeek Mehdi (author) and Taiba Abdullah (illustrator).
- Best Young Adult Book of the Year: Getting out of the Bubble by Ibrahim Shalabi.
- Best Text: Me and My Granny written and illustrated by Ebtihaj Al Harthi.
- Best Illustration: Nour Runs Away from the Story written by Abeer Ali Al Kalbani and illustrated by Gulnar Hajo.
- Best Production: The Judge's Mule by Shafeek Mehdi (author) and Taiba Abdullah (illustrator).
2016 Winners
- Best Children's Book of the Year: Excuse Me, Give Me Away by Nabiha Mheidli.
- Best Young Adult Book of the Year: Screams Behind Doors by Rania Hussien Amin.
- Best Text: I Want to Be a Turtle by Amal Farah.
- Best Illustration: The Blue Lake of Questions, written by Maya Abu Al-Hayat.
- Best Production: Boulqash, authored and illustrated by Yara Bamiya.
2018 Winners
- Best Children's Book of the Year: Homesick (الحنين) written by Aisha al-Harthi and illustrated by Hassan Manasra from Dar al-Alam al-Arabi.
- Best Young Adult Book of the Year: The Secret of Oil (سر الزيت) written by Walid Daqqa from the Tamer Institute.
- Best Text: Mama My Classmate (ماما بنت صفي) written by Lubna Taha and illustrated by Maya Fadawi from Al Salwa Books.
- Best Illustration: Think of Others by Mahmoud Darwish and illustrated by Sahar Abdullah from Tanmia Publishing House.
- Best Production: Koozy (كوزي) by Anastasia Qarawani and illustrated by Maja Kastelic from Al Salwa Books.
2020 Winners
- Best Children's Book of the Year: A Tale Within a Tale Within a Tale written by Hadil Ghoneim and illustrated by Sahar Abdallah for Shahrazizi’s Nights: Published by Dar al-Balsam in Egypt.
- Best Young Adult Book of the Year: شقائق النعمان (The Poppy Anemone), by Haya Saleh, published by Al Yasmine for Publishing and Distribution in Jordan.
- Best Text: Words by Syria’s Jikar Khorshid. The book was illustrated by Maha Daher.
- Best Illustration: The Monster and Me, illustrated by Baraa Al Awour and written by Aisha Abdullah Al Harithi.
- Best Production: I’ll Be Okay, by Essam Asmir and Lama Azmar, illustrated by Hanane al-Kai, and published by Jabal Amman in Jordan.
See also
- Emirates Telecommunications Corporation
- Etisalat Prize for Literature
