Sharjah Children's Book Awards offers Dhs110,000 prizes

The Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, organised by the Sharjah Book Authority, continues to accept submissions for the Sharjah Children's Book Award, the Sharjah Audio Book Award, and the Sharjah Children's Book Award for Visually Impaired until March 31.

The festival will take place at Expo Centre Sharjah from April 23 to May 4, 2025.

The three awards, with a total prize value of Dhs110,000, celebrate children's literature and honour authors who contribute to high-quality literary works. These awards aim to enrich children's literature in the Arab world and beyond, enhance children's awareness, develop their literary taste, and nurture their intellectual and creative abilities.

The Sharjah Children's Book Award offers a total prize of Dhs60,000, divided equally among winners in three categories: Best Arabic Children's Book (ages 4-12), Best Arabic Young Adult Book (ages 13-17), Best English Children's Book (ages 7-13).

The award targets publishers, authors, and illustrators and requires that submissions be original and newly published, with no more than two years since the first edition’s release. Only the first edition is eligible, and winners must wait two years before reapplying in the same category.

The Sharjah Children's Book Award for Visually Impaired offers a prize of Dhs20,000 and includes publishing and global distribution of the winning book. The award seeks to support blind and visually impaired children, allowing them to read books alongside their sighted peers.

Entries in this category must include: Tactile illustrations with raised and embossed designs, Clear and bold fonts, Braille text, Easily turnable pages, ensuring smooth tactile reading.

The Sharjah Audio Book Award has a total prize of Dhs30,000, divided equally between two winners: Best Arabic Audio Book, Best English Audio Book.

This award aligns with technological advancements in children's literature, promoting high-quality narration and production while maintaining the same literary and creative standards as the Sharjah Children's Book Award.

WAM