Shortlist of Iakob Gogebashvili Children's Literary Award Nominees
By Mariam Chanishvili
Friday, December 13
The jury of Iakob Gogebashvili Children's Literary Award has nominated the finalists. The awards are given to children's writers, illustrators and authors of projects for children.
The award ceremony will be held on December 16 at Writers' House.
The literary award is taking place for the third time. Books, plays and innovative projects for children published in Georgia in 2018 were eligible for the award. A total of 54 books, 6 innovative projects and 1 play entered the competition.
Children's literary award is awarded once a year, for three different age groups: little children (3-6 years), children (6-12 years), adolescents (12-16 years). The award is a prize and monetary award.
Nominations feature Best poetry book (2 awards), Best prose book (3 awards), Best illustrated book (3 awards), Best children's dramatic composition (1 award), Best youth project (1 award), Best debut (1 award), Best translated children's/youth book (1 award), Award for contribution to children's literature (1 award).
Natia Janashia’s "Learn Months Through Games" (Palitra L Publishing) and Givi Chigvinadze’s "The Story of the Mountains and Forests" (Publishing House "Tsisieri") are among the best poetry books. "Flood at the Zoo" by Sonia Eliashvili and "My Favorite Tales" by Salome Khotivari are among the best illustrated books for little children.
"The Bear Returns to the Forest" by Alex Chigvinadze is nominated as the best children's dramatic composition.
Ingun Toni “Ulysses”- translated by Sofo Karchkhadze and published by Sulakauri Publishin House is among the best translations, along with “Madicken och Junibackens Pims” by Astrid Lindgren, translated by Nato Kvaratskhelia.
Another winner, who will be announced at the awards ceremony, will receive a prize for the special contribution to children's literature. In past years this Guram Petriashvili and Dodo Khimshiashvili-Vadachkoria were awarded the prizes.
Iakob Gogebashvili Children's Literary Award was established in 2017 by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia together with the Writers’ House of Georgia and takes place annually. It aims to encourage children's writers and publishers.
The joint project of the Ministry of Culture and Writers' House aims to develop children's literary processes, and to motivate and encourage children's authors. Establishment of this contest will promote creation of new children's literary works and will help to raise the literacy level of future generation.
