Sonia Nimr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sonia Nimr
|
|
|---|---|
| سونيا نمر | |
 |
|
| Born |
Jenin
|
| Nationality | Palestinian |
| Occupation | Writer, oral historian, storyteller, ethnographer |
|
Notable work
|
|
| Awards |
|
Sonia Nimr (Arabic: سونيا نمر) was born in 1955. She is a talented Palestinian writer, storyteller, and translator. She also studies cultures and teaches at a university. Sonia writes books for children and young people in both Arabic and English. She loves to share traditional folk tales using everyday Arabic language.
In 2014, Sonia won the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature. She received this award for her amazing young adult book, Extraordinary Journeys to Unknown Places. Today, Sonia Nimr is a professor at Birzeit University. She teaches about philosophy and different cultures.
Contents
Sonia's Early Life
Sonia Nimr was born in Jenin in 1955. She finished her early schooling there. Later, she went to Birzeit University. While at university, she became involved in student activities. These activities were about standing up for her community.
In 1975, during her second year, she was arrested. She spent three years in prison. This time in prison sparked her interest in writing children's books. After her release, she moved to the UK to continue her studies. In 1990, she earned her PhD in Oral history from Exeter University.
How She Became a Writer
Sonia started writing in 1986. At that time, she worked at the Museum of Mankind in England. Her first writings were Palestinian folk tales. These stories were published in Arabic. Sonia lived in the UK for eight years. However, she often felt uncomfortable there. This was because of unfair ideas about Arab women.
This experience is a big reason why many of her stories have strong female heroes. She wants to challenge harmful ideas and empower Arab girls. Sonia says her mother taught her to love writing and to stand up for what's right. She believes that helping women gain freedom also helps her homeland. She once said, "If we liberate women, we will have taken a step towards the liberation of Palestine."
After returning home in 1990, Sonia was imprisoned again. She wrote her first two children's stories while in prison. Sadly, these writings were taken away. Her experiences as an activist and prisoner greatly influence her books. She uses her opportunities as a writer to talk about Palestine and places affected by conflict.
Her Writing Style
Sonia Nimr writes in both English and Arabic. She sees her writing as a special task for Palestinian children. It is also for all children living in difficult areas. She wants to help them use their imagination. She also wants them to stay connected to their culture.
When working with folk tales, Sonia tries to "rewrite" them for children. These stories were first made for adults. She makes sure to keep "the spirit, the magic" of the original tales. Sometimes, her use of everyday language in her books caused discussions. Publishers often prefer a more formal Arabic. This is so books can be sold in many different Arabic-speaking countries.
Famous Books and Awards
Sonia first became well-known for her 2003 book, A Little Piece of Ground. She wrote it with Elizabeth Laird. The book tells the story of the occupied West Bank. It is seen through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy. A Little Piece of Ground was first written in English. Then, it was translated into Arabic, several European languages, and Japanese. It was nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal in the UK. It was also on the 2004 IBBY Honour List.
Her 2004 book, The Story that Begins and Ends in Lies, also made the IBBY Honour List. In 2007, Ghaddar the Ghoul and other Palestinian Stories came out in English. Her next big success was Wondrous Journeys to Strange Lands. This book was published in 2013 and translated into many languages. It won the 2014 Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature for Best Young Adult Book. It was also included in the 2014 IBBY Honour List. People have called this book a "feminist-fable-plus-historical-novel" that is good "for all ages."
In 2017, the first book of a fantasy series for young adults was released. It is called Thunderbird. This book is an adventure about time travel. It follows a girl named Noor and her 16th-century friend, Andaleeb. They try to reach Jerusalem and save the world. The English translation came out in 2020. Thunderbird was a finalist for the 2017 Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature. It won the Sharjah Children's Book Award in 2018. It was also a finalist for the Sheikh Zayed Book Award.
Sonia Nimr lives in Ramallah. She continues to teach at Birzeit University.
Notable Works
Children and Young Adult Books
- A Little Piece of Ground (with Elizabeth Laird), 2003
- Rihlat Ajeeba Fi Al Bilad Al Ghareeba (Wondrous Journeys to Strange Lands), Tamer Institute 2013
- Qisah Awalha khayal wa Akherha Khyal (A Story that Begins and Ends with Lies), 2012
- Ghaddar the Ghoul and Other Palestinian Stories, Frances Lincoln Children's Books, London 2007
- Thunderbird, Tamer Institute 2017
Awards and Recognition
- 2003 Carnegie Medal nomination for A Little Piece of Ground
- 2004 IBBY Honour List for A Little Piece of Ground
- 2014 Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature Best Young Adult Book for Wondrous Journeys to Strange Lands
- 2014 IBBY Honor List for Wondrous Journeys to Strange Lands
- 2017 Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature Shortlist for Best Young Adult Book for Thunderbird
- 2018 Sharjah Children's Book Award, Young Adults for Thunderbird
- 2018 Shortlist for the Sheikh Zayed Book Award for Thunderbird
See also
In Spanish: Sonia Nimr para niños
