Mercè Canela facts for kids
Mercè Canela (born in 1956 in Sant Guim de Freixenet, Segarra) is a talented Catalan writer and translator. She creates amazing stories, especially for young people.
She first studied archaeology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. After her studies, she worked as a librarian there. Later, she moved to Brussels to work as a documentalist for the European Union.
Becoming a Writer
Mercè Canela started writing when she was very young. She always felt that being a writer was her true calling. In 1976, a publishing house called La Galera published her book for teenagers, De qui és el bosc?. That same year, she won the important Josep M. Folch i Torres award for her book L'escarabat verd (The Green Beetle).
She has written many novels for children and teenagers since then. Her books have won several awards. In 1984, her book Asperú, joglar embruixat was even added to the Honour List of IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People). This is a special recognition for excellent children's books worldwide.
More Than Just a Writer
Besides writing her own stories, Mercè Canela is also a skilled translator. She has translated many books into Catalan from German, French, and Italian.
She also wrote a book called Un passeig pel Poble Espanyol (A Walk Through the Spanish Village) in 1998. This book tells the history of Poble Espanyol, a famous architectural museum in Montjuïc, Barcelona.
In 1980, she joined the team of the popular children's magazine Cavall Fort. Since 1998, she has been the director of this magazine. She also directs another publication called El Tatano.
Awards and Recognitions
Mercè Canela has received many awards for her wonderful books. Here are some of them:
- Premi Josep Maria Folch i Torres de novel·les per a nois i noies 1976: for L'escarabat verd.
- Premi Crítica Serra d'Or de literatura infantil i juvenil 1981: for La fantasia inacabable d'Antoni Gaudí.
- Premi L'Esparver 1982: for Lluna de tardor.
- Premi Guillem Cifre de Colonya 1983: for Els set enigmes de l'iris.
- Premi Lola Anglada 1984: for El planeta dels set sols.
- Premi de Literatura Infantil El Vaixell de Vapor 1991: for S'ha de ser animal!.
See also
In Spanish: Mercè Canela para niños
