HCAA 2026 Shortlist Profiles

Ahmad Akbarpour (b. 1970, Fars Province, Iran) began writing for adults before turning to children’s and young adult literature after discovering Constantin Virgil Gheorghiu’s Twenty-Fifth Hour. Introduced to Iran’s Children’s Book Council, he submitted his first poem — and soon became one of Iran’s most celebrated authors for young readers, with over fifty books to his name. Known for inventive storytelling that challenges conventional narratives, Akbarpour invites readers to think critically and empathetically, weaving universal themes — peace, friendship, family — into works like The Giant and the Bicycle. His versatility spans humor, fantasy, realism, and myth, as seen in Good Night Commander, Roc Girl, and That Night’s Train. He also addresses social issues, including the experiences of children with special needs or from marginalized backgrounds. His stories often collaborate closely with Iranian illustrators, enhancing their visual and emotional impact. Translated into multiple languages and adapted into films, his works have earned recognition including the 2024 White Ravens list (Munich), the National Children’s Literature Festival of Shiraz, and inclusion in Iran’s “Must Read and Influential Books of the Last Thirty-Three Years.” He was shortlisted for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2023 and 2025. Beyond writing, Akbarpour mentors emerging writers through workshops, helping shape the next generation of Iranian children’s literature. His commitment to creativity, inclusivity, and critical thinking has made him a leading voice in global children’s literature.

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Ghatar-e An Shab / قطار آن شب    [That Night's Train]    
Cheshmeh Publishing    1998    Tehran, Iran    978-6-0021-8380-4

Emperatur-e Kalamat / امپرتور کلمات    [Emperor of Words]    
Peydayish    2002     Tehran, Iran    978-6-0029-6022-1

Man Nokar-e Baba Nistam / من نوکر بابام نیستم    [I'm Not My Dad's Servant]    
Ofogh    2003     Tehran, Iran    978-9-6436-9108-0

Shab Bekheyr Farmandeh! / شب به خیر فرمانده    [Good Night Commander!]    
Ofogh    2003     Tehran, Iran    978-6-0035-3108-6

Ghoul va Docharkheh / غول و دوچرخه    [The Ogre and Bicycle]    
Ofogh    2006     Tehran, Iran    978-9-6436-9550-7

Timothée de Fombelle (b. 1973, Paris) spent his childhood between the French countryside and African landscapes — summers in forests building tree huts, winters in Morocco and Ivory Coast — experiences that shaped his rich, theatrical imagination. After studying literature and teaching in Paris and Vietnam, he turned to theater, co-writing the internationally acclaimed Le Phare (The Lighthouse), which won the Prix du Souffleur in 2002. His plays — from the poignant Je danse toujours (I Still Dance) to the comic Rose Cats — explore loss, resilience, and wonder. In 2006, his debut novel Tobie Lolness: La vie suspendue (Toby Alone) — the story of a boy one and a half millimeters tall fighting to save his world, a giant oak tree — became an international sensation, translated into over 30 languages and hailed as a modern classic for its moral depth and visionary worldbuilding. He followed with Vango, a duology of sky and earth; Le Livre de Perle (The Book of Pearl), blending fairy tale and WWII history; and the sweeping Alma trilogy, an epic confronting the Atlantic slave trade through courage and friendship. Shorter works like Céleste, ma planète (Céleste, My Planet) and Capitaine Rosalie (Captain Rosalie) distill his lyrical, emotionally charged storytelling. De Fombelle’s prose is musical, visual, and deeply respectful of young readers — never simplified, always inviting them to think, feel, and dream. His novels bridge imagination and truth, childhood and history, making him one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary children’s literature.

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Esther Andersen    
Gallimard jeunesse    2021    Paris, France    978-2-0751-4796-5

Gramercy Park    
Gallimard jeunesse    2018    Paris, France    978-2-0706-5756-8

Quelqu'un m'attend derrière la neige    [Someone is waiting for me behind the snow]    
Gallimard jeunesse    2019     Paris, France   978-2-0750-9366-8

Tobie Lolness        
Gallimard jeunesse    2008    Paris, France    978-2-0751-9803-5

Le vent se lève    [The wind rises]    
Gallimard jeunesse    2020    Paris, France    978-2-0751-3910-6

María José Ferrada (b. 1977, Temuco, Chile) is one of Chile’s most celebrated voices in children’s literature — a writer and journalist whose work blends poetry, history, and social memory to transform the ordinary into the luminous. She began with a self-published collection, 12 historias minúsculas de la tierra, el cielo y el mar (12 Tiny Stories of the Earth, Sky, and Sea; 2006), and has since published over sixty books across genres and age groups, translated into more than twenty languages. Her work is marked by quiet precision and emotional depth — celebrating small wonders (a cloud, a word, a gesture) while confronting heavy histories: dictatorship, exile, injustice. Niños (Children; 2013, reissued 2020) — a lyrical tribute to children disappeared under Chile’s military regime — blends poetry and documentation to mourn, remember, and resist. She has received the SM Ibero-American Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature (2021) and the Cervantes Chico Award (2022), and in 2022 was named a corresponding member of the Chilean Academy of Language — rare recognition for a children’s writer. Beyond writing, Ferrada champions inclusive literacy: creating books with pictograms for autistic readers, Braille editions, and leading workshops that empower children to find beauty in their own voices. “I would like all children… to claim that beauty which belongs to us simply by inhabiting this world,” she writes. Her stories remind us: poetry can be resistance. To write for children is to speak of truth, tenderness, and enduring hope.

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Kramp    [How to Order the Universe]    
Emecé     2017    Santiago, Chile    978-9-5636-0218-0 

Niños    [Niños. Poems for the Lost Children of Chile]    
Grafito Ediciones    2013    Santiago, Chile     978-9-5693-5601-8

Mexique, el nombre del barco    [Mexique. A Refugee Story from the Spanish Civil War]    
Tecolote Ediciones (in coedition with Alboroto Ediciones)     2017     Ciudad de México, México    978-6-0793-6582-0

Cuando fuiste nube    [When you were a cloud]    
Fondo de Cultura Económica     2019     Ciudad de México, México    978-6-0716-6339-9

El Bolso    [The Purse]    
Alboroto Ediciones    2021    Ciudad de México, México    978-6-0799-2774-5 

Lee Geum-yi (b. 1962, Korea) grew up enchanted by her grandmother’s oral tales and her father’s collection of international children’s books — experiences that led her to say, “I didn’t choose to write children’s literature. Children’s literature chose me.” She began writing for young readers, later expanding into young adult fiction in 2004, and in 2016, turned to historical fiction with two major novels: Can’t I Go Instead? and The Picture Bride. Can’t I Go Instead? — nominated for the 2018 IBBY Honour List — confronts wartime sexual violence through the lens of WWII and the early 2000s. The Picture Bride, adapted into a musical, portrays adolescent girls resisting fate under occupation. Both showcase her signature strength: weaving heavy themes into gripping, accessible narratives without softening their truth. In 2024, she turned to contemporary migration with Mari in Bamtee Village, exploring the lives of Nepalese communities in Korea — a timely reflection on hospitality and belonging. Her recent novel Deleted Scenes for You examines teens’ relationship with digital culture. Lee’s work consistently centers marginalized voices — women, migrants, disabled individuals, non-traditional families — and challenges adult stereotypes that harm young lives. She writes with ethical rigor, ensuring her stories avoid gender bias and discrimination. Her evolution as a writer mirrors the growth of her readers — always bold, always relevant, always deeply human.

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Aloha, naui eommadeul / 알로하, 나의 엄마들    [The Picture Bride]   
Changbi Publishers    2020    Republic of Korea    978-8-9364-7793-6

Geogi, naega gamyeon andwaeyo? / 거기, 내가 가면 안돼요?    [Can’t I Go Instead]     
Sakyejul Publishing     2017    Republic of Korea    979-1-1609-4060-2

Harutbam / 하룻밤    [A Night With Dad]     
Sakyejul Publishing     2016    Republic of Korea    978-8-9582-8446-8

Neoreul wihan B-cut  / 너를 위한 B 컷    [Deleted Scenes For You]   
Munhakdongne Publishing    2023    Republic of Korea    978-8-9546-9347-9

Bamtee maeul Marine jip / 밤티 마을 마리네 집    [Mari in Bamtee Village]     
Bamtee Publishing    2024    Republic of Korea    979-1-1918-2637-1 

The Dreamer    
Scholastic Press    2010    New York, USA    978-0-4392-6970-4

Echo    
Scholastic Press    2015    New York, USA    978-0-4398-7402-1

Esperanza Rising    
Scholastic Press    2000    New York, USA    978-0-4391-2041-8

When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Ander, the Voice of a Century   
Scholastic Press    2002    New York, USA    978-0-4392-6967-4

Mañanaland    
Scholastic Press    2020    New York, USA    978-1-3381-5786-4

Michael Rosen (b. 1946, Harrow, Middlesex, UK) was raised in a left-wing Jewish household where laughter, Yiddish phrases, and storytelling shaped his voice. His parents — pioneering educators — instilled in him a lifelong passion for children’s literacy. After Oxford, he taught before publishing his debut poetry collection, Mind Your Own Business (1974). He has since written over 200 books — for children and adults — often collaborating with illustrators like Quentin Blake, Tony Ross, and Helen Oxenbury. As Children’s Laureate (2007–2009), he championed poetry in classrooms. His work thrives when performed — his YouTube readings have drawn millions, turning poems into shared, joyful experiences. He writes in the language children know, using rhythm, humor, and honesty to make reading irresistible. He also confronts hard truths: Michael Rosen’s Sad Book (2004) responds to the death of his son; Sticky McStick (2021), illustrated by Tony Ross, reflects his recovery from serious illness. The Missing (2020) and On the Move (2024) explore family history, war, and migration — never shying from complexity. Beyond writing, Rosen is a professor of children’s literature at Goldsmiths, University of London, and hosts BBC’s Word of Mouth and writes for major publications. In 2025, Michael Rosen Day (November 13) was celebrated — a testament to his enduring impact on poetry for children.

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Michael Rosen’s Sad Book    
Walker Books    2004    London, United Kingdom    978-1-4063-1784-8

Mustard, Custard, Grumble Belly and Custard    
Bloomsbury    2007    London, United Kingdom    978-0-7475-8738-5 

The Missing; The True Story of my Family In World War II    
Walker Books    2019    London, United Kingdom    978-1-4063-8675-2

On The Move. Poems About Migration    
Walker Books    2020    London, United Kingdom    978-1-4063-9370-5

What is Poetry? The Essential Guide to Reading and Writing Poetry    
Walker Books    2016    London, United Kingdom    978-1-8442-8763-5

Beatrice Alemagna (b. 1973, Bologna, Italy) declared herself a “painter of novels” at age eight — and has lived that vision ever since. She created her first book at five, exhibited at Paris’s Centre Georges Pompidou at fourteen, and studied graphic design at ISIA Urbino. In 1996, she won first prize at the Salon du Livre de Paris’ Figures Futures contest — launching a career that now spans forty books as both author and illustrator, translated worldwide and published by leading houses. She has illustrated works by literary giants including Rodari, Apollinaire, Huxley, and Kristóf — but her own stories are deeply personal, poetic, and politically charged. “Writing and drawing children’s books is a terribly political act for me,” she says — about building worlds of respect, justice, and freedom. Her art invites readers — children and adults alike — to linger, imagine, and complete the story themselves. Her books, like On a Magical Do-Nothing Day (2017), celebrate quiet wonder and emotional honesty — winning the Landerneau Prize, Grand prix de l’illustration, English Association Book Award, and a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators (USA). It was also named one of the New York Times’ and NYC Library’s Top 10 Children’s Books of 2017. She received the Mildred L. Batchelder Award (USA, 2016) for The Wonderful Fluffy Little Squishy, and in 2013, France’s Ardèche region gifted her Bon Voyage Bébé to every newborn in 2014–2015. She was shortlisted for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award four times (2014–2017), and honored with the Grande Ourse at Montreuil (2023) and her second Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators (2024). Alemagna’s work is a quiet rebellion — rooted in love, freedom, and the belief that every child deserves to see themselves in the story.

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Il disastrosissimo disastro di Harold Snipperpott    [The most disastrous disaster of Harold Snipperpott]    
Topipittori    2018    Milan, Italy    978-8-8337-0008-3

Un Lion à Paris    [A lion in Paris]    
Autrement Jeunesse    2006    Paris, France    978-2-7467-0816-7

Un Grand jour de rien    [A great day of nothing]    
Albin Michel    2016    Paris, France    978-2-2263-2937-0 

Che cos’è un bambino    [What is a child]   
Topipittori    2008    Milan, Italy    978-8-8892-1025-3

Le merveilleux dodu-velu-petit     T[he Wonderful Fluffy Little Squishy]     
Albin Michel    2014    Paris, France    978-2-2262-5781-9

Linda Bondestam (b. 1977, Helsinki, Finland) studied illustration in London, earning her BA in 2001. She debuted as a children’s book illustrator in 2003 and as an author-illustrator in 2018 with God natt på Jorden (Good Night, Earth). Today, she is one of the Nordic region’s most distinctive and celebrated illustrators — known for her bold, evolving “Bondestamian” style: rich, dark palettes that make jewel-toned highlights pop, layered textures, and whimsical, miniature creatures that scurry through her pages. Her work thrives on contrast — visual, emotional, and narrative — blending humor, mystery, and quiet wonder. Characters are richly detailed, each hinting at hidden stories the reader is invited to imagine. Her books — over forty illustrated, several authored — are published across Finland and Sweden, and translated into more than a dozen languages, including Arabic, German, Russian, and Turkish. Her 2023 book Chop Chop won Sweden’s prestigious August Prize. She was the first recipient of Finland’s Vanessapriset (Vanessa Prize) in 2016 and has been shortlisted for numerous other honors. Her art has been exhibited internationally — in Germany, Iceland, South Korea — and installed in public spaces like libraries and hospitals across Finland and Sweden. She has also collaborated with animators to adapt her stories — including Den förträfflige herr Glad (The Admirable Mr. Happy) and Säg hej (Say Hey) — into animated shorts. Bondestam’s work invites children and adults alike to dream, laugh, and linger — one richly textured page at a time.

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Silkesapans skratt     [The Silk Monkey's Laughter]     
Förlaget M Oy Ab     2019    Helsinki, Finland     978-9-5233-3224-9 

Ni är inte min mamma    [You Are Not My Mother]     
Förlaget M Oy Ab    2021    Helsinki, Finland     978-9-1502-2443-6

Chop Chop - En tapper jordbos berättelse    [Chop Chop – The Story of a Busy Robo]    
Förlaget    2024    Helsinki, Finland     978-9-5233-3609-4 

Mitt bottenliv - Av en ensam axolotl    [My Life at the Bottom]     
Förlaget    2020    Helsinki, Finland     978-9-5233-3296-6 

Om du möter en björn     [If You Meet a Bear]     
Förlaget    2021    Helsinki, Finland     978-9-5233-3374-1 

Cai Gao (b. 1946, Changsha, China) grew up immersed in preindustrial traditions — her grandmother’s nursery rhymes and storytelling sparking a lifelong passion for oral and visual narrative. Denied university education, she taught herself to draw while working as a poster painter and primary school teacher, publishing her debut, The Beautiful Garden (1980), which immediately won acclaim. She has remained devoted to picturebooks — a cornerstone of China’s evolving children’s literature scene — creating over 40 titles that reflect her deep affirmation of life, resilience, and wonder. Her style is richly versatile: blending Western textures, Chinese folk art’s vigor, and classical painting’s elegance. In Baoer, she uses dense color and decentered perspectives to evoke folk art, portraying a boy’s courage against darkness. The Land of the Peach Blossom reimagines Tao Yuanming’s mythic world with poetic, classical brushwork. Her recent works — How I Came to Be Me and What Would It Be Like Without… — celebrate innocence, curiosity, and the wisdom of seeing the world anew. Her illustrations are celebrated for their cultural depth and emotional resonance — earning so many awards she’s been called an “award-winning professional.” Even after retirement, she received the Special Contribution Award at the 34th Chen Bochui International Children’s Literature Award (2022).

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Tao Hua Yuan de Gu Shi / 《桃花源的故事》    [The Land of Peach Blossom]    
Hunan Juvenile & Children’s Publishing House    2021    Changsha, China    978-7-5562-5638-9

Bao Er / 《宝儿》    [Bao’er]    
Hunan Juvenile & Children’s Publishing House    2021    Changsha, China    978-7-5562-5640-2

Huo Cheng 1938 / 《火城1938》    [Blazing City 1938]   
Hunan Juvenile & Children’s Publishing House   2023    Changsha, China    978-7-5562-7146-7

Chu Sheng de Gu Shi / 《出生的故事》    [How I came to be Me]    
Hunan Juvenile & Children’s Publishing House    2024    Changsha, China    978-7-5562-7998-2

Bu Neng Mei You /《不能没有》     [What Would it be Like?]     
Daylight Publishing House    2024    Beijing, China    978-7-5016-2423-2

Gundega Muzikante (b. 1964, Riga, Latvia) graduated from the Riga Applied Arts High School and the Latvian Academy of Art, earning her master’s degree in 2009. She made her debut as a book illustrator in 1990 — the same year she won her first major award, the Indri is Zeberi š Prize. Over more than thirty years, she has illustrated over seventy children’s books, her distinctive visual language also appearing in animated features such as Cuckoo and Her 12 Husbands and on commemorative Latvian collector coins. Her illustrations are celebrated for their warmth, humor, and meticulous detail — inviting readers to return again and again, discovering new layers with each look. She has a rare gift for humanizing even the most mythical beings — a dragon in her world is not merely fearsome, but also tender, expressive, and emotionally resonant. Her art transforms abstract emotions — longing, loss, wonder — into images children can feel deeply, turning illustration into a true storytelling partner, never mere decoration. Muzikante’s work has earned wide international recognition, including inclusion on the IBBY Honour List in 2016 and 2024, the White Ravens list in 2021 and 2022, and the prestigious Zelta ābele (Golden Apple Tree) Prize in 2001. She received the International Jānis Baltvilks Prize in both 2014 and 2022, was twice nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (2020, 2025), and is a nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2018 and 2026. Her art has been exhibited at major international events including the Bratislava Biennial of Illustration, the Tallinn Illustrations Triennial, and the Golden Pen of Belgrade, as well as in solo exhibitions across Latvia, Estonia, and South Korea. Beyond her creative practice, Muzikante is deeply committed to education — teaching at Jūrmala Art School and leading workshops and masterclasses in visual storytelling both at home and abroad, nurturing the next generation of illustrators with the same care and imagination she brings to her own work.

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Zvēru barošana    [Animal Feeding]    
Pētergailis    2022    Riga, Latvia    978-9-9843-3546-9

Ņaudiena.rrr    [Meowday.rrr]   
Latvijas mediji    2022    Riga, Latvia    978-9-9342-9158-6

Ir mēness zelta kuģis    [The Moon is Like a Golden Boat]   
Jāņa Rozes apgāds    2021    Riga, Latvia    978-9-9842-3864-7

Zvaigžņu tramvajs    [Streetcar of Stars]    
Pētergailis    2018    Riga, Latvia    978-9-9843-3477-6

Enģelīša ceļojums    [Angel's Journey]    
Zvaigzne ABC    2015    Riga, Latvia    978-9-9340-4074-0

Walid Taher (b. 1969, Cairo) grew up in a home alive with conversations about Egyptian politics, society, and culture — shaping his early sensitivity to language, rhythm, and visual storytelling. After earning a bachelor’s in fine arts from Helwan University, he began his career in editorial design, illustrating for children’s sections of Egyptian newspapers even before graduating — honing his ability to translate complex ideas into accessible, humorous, and emotionally resonant visuals. His debut major work, Sahibi El Jadid (My New Friend) (2001), introduced his signature style: simple yet expressive illustrations, sparse poetic text, and a tone that invites both delight and quiet reflection. He believes children’s literature should not simplify ideas, but reveal them — honestly, beautifully, and with curiosity. His stories often blend humor and philosophy, rooted in Arab cultural settings while speaking to universal emotions. The Feezo series, inspired by his own fatherhood, captures childhood’s humor and tenderness through bold colors, rhythmic compositions, and lively lines that suggest movement and spontaneity. Beyond entertainment, his books encourage empathy, self-awareness, and imagination — values he sees as essential to raising thoughtful readers. His artistic vision deepened during a 2016 residency at the French publishing house Le Port à Jauni, where works like Balad — Voyage sans bagage (Travel without Luggage) and Les Danseurs (The Dancers) reveal a mature fusion of text and image, exploring belonging, movement, and human connection — yet always retaining the spirit of wonder that defines children’s literature. Taher has illustrated over ninety children’s books, more than thirty of which he authored himself. His work has been translated into multiple languages and recognized with honors including the Kaheel Lifetime Achievement Award. 

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لنقطة السوداء/ Al Nokta Al Sawdda    [The Black Dot]    
Dar el Shorouk    2010    Cairo, Egypt    978-9-7709-2611-6

Mes Idees Folles / بنات أفكاري    [Mes Idees Folles]    
Le Port a Jauni     2016    Marseille, France    978-2-9195-1123-5

  سبع أرواح / Sabaa Arwah     [Sept vibes]     
Le Port a Jauni     2017    Marseille, France    978-2-9195-1111-2

Voyage Sans Baggage / سفر بدون حقائب    [Travel without luggage]    
Le Port a Jauni     2017    Marseille, France    978-2-9195-1118-1

Wardany al Wahdany /     [Wardany the Lonesome]    
Dar Elhadaek     2017    Beirut, Lebanon    978-6-1443-9107-5

María Wernicke (b. 1958, Buenos Aires, Argentina) was born to two writers — yet chose early on to pursue visual art, resisting the pull of words. Since 1981, she has worked independently as a graphic designer, and in 1994, she published her first illustrated book. Over the following decades, she has illustrated dozens of titles published across Argentina, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, and the United States, while also leading workshops that weave together narrative, image, and design — and volunteering with the Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, grounding her practice in social memory and justice. Despite her resistance, words eventually found her: in 2006, her debut as author-illustrator, One and Another, won the Outstanding Book Award for Best Picture Book from Argentina’s ALIJA and represented the country at the 2007 Biennial of Illustration Bratislava. In 2012, it was named one of Argentina’s ten best picturebooks and included in IFLA’s global project “The World through Picture Books.” Her work continued to earn acclaim — winning ALIJA’s Outstanding Book Award again in 2010 for There Are Days and in 2019 for Upstream. Though her aesthetic shifts fluidly to match each story’s spirit, a core signature remains: she treats text, image, and design as equal languages — sometimes merging them so seamlessly that authorship dissolves, as in her illustrated version of Iris Rivera’s Haiku (2009), where she described a true collaboration: “We never paid attention to things like ‘this is my image’ or ‘this is my word.’” A fourth language might be added to her repertoire: the language of absence. As writer María García Esperón observed, Wernicke “knows how to converse with silence and with the blank, silent page that makes dreams shine.” She sees empty spaces not as voids, but as punctuation — a sensitivity she credits to her mother. These absences echo through her stories: in the unspoken trauma of growing up under dictatorship, in the fragility of memory, in the quiet grief of loss — all rendered with poetic restraint, and all inviting the reader to lean in, listen, and imagine what lies between the lines.

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Contracorriente    [Upstream]    
Calibroscopio    2019    Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina    978-9-8739-6742-9

Hay días    [There are days]    
Calibroscopio    2012    Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina    978-9-8718-0108-4

Lo que quiere una mujer    [What a woman wants]    
Calibroscopio    2010    Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina    978-9-8724-9148-2

Los mocos de la furia    [Boogers of fury]    
Siglo XXI Editores    2024    Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina    978-9-8780-1307-7

Rutinero    [The Routinist]    
Fondo de Cultura Económica de Argentina    2008    Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina    978-9-6816-7652-0