A dialogue session at the Sharjah Book Fair on children’s literature

Sharjah, November 10 / WAM / A number of members of the jury of the International Award for Arab Children’s Literature stressed that the advancement of children’s literature requires awareness of the minute details that make up the quality and distinction of a book, pointing out that some good works were deprived of competition due to not specifying the target age group. They stressed that preserving the classical Arabic language is a basic condition that cannot be waived in any work directed at children.

This came during a dialogue session organized by the UAE Council on Books for Young People about the “International Award for Arabic Children’s Literature” as part of its participation in the activities of the 44th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair, with the aim of evaluating the submitted and winning works, with the participation of a number of members of the jury, namely the Italian painter Francesca Delruto, Dr. Wafa Al Shamsi, the pioneer of children’s and young people’s literature in the Sultanate of Oman, and the Qatari writer Sheikha Al-Ziyara.

Dr. Wafa Al Shamsi said that there are some works that did not make it to the competition because they neglected to check the age category even though they are of good quality, through mixing of categories among a number of publishers, especially between the “picture book” and “early childhood book” categories.

She added that the quality of printing and packaging has become an essential element in the success of the printed book in light of the growth of digital platforms, noting that the jury had difficulty choosing between a number of books that were close in level, as the decision was ultimately based on the extent of the work’s ability to expand the child’s horizon and add positive value to his awareness and behavior.

In turn, the writer Sheikha Al-Ziyara said that some of the works that the committee received were good in text or printing, but not in both, pointing out that some of the distinguished texts and graphics were not at the required level. She praised the publishers who created a list of prohibited content so that the chance of their works being nominated would increase after they agreed with the award’s criteria.

For her part, painter Francesca Delerotto confirmed that the process of selecting the shortlist and winners took place according to a clear and transparent mechanism, noting that the aim of the award is to raise the level of participating works and that publishers must be aware of what works and what does not.

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