TEHRAN – Iranian writer Farhad Hassanzadeh has received a nomination for the 2020 Hans Christian Andersen Award.

He will be competing for world’s most prestigious award for the creators of children’s and youth literature with Maria Cristina Ramos from Argentina, Bart Moeyaert from Belgium, Marie-Aude Murail from France, Peter Svetina from Slovenia and Jacqueline Woodson from the U.S., the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) announced on Monday.

Illustrators Isabelle Arsenault from Canada, Seizo Tashima from Japan, Sylvia Weve from the Netherlands, Iwona Chmielewska from Poland, Elena Odriozola from Spain and Albertine from Switzerland were also shortlisted for the award. 

Iranian illustrator Farshid Shafiei was nominated for the award by the Children’s Book Council of Iran, but he did not make the shortlist. 

Hassanzadeh has authored over 80 books, including “The Backyard”, “The 7th Bench by the Lake”, “Bambak’s Scorpions”, “Watermelon with Love” and “Call Me Ziba”.

He has been nominated and awarded in several Iranian and international events and his books have been rendered into different languages. 

IBBY presents the Andersen award to a living author and illustrator whose complete works have made a lasting contribution to children’s literature.

The IBBY will announce one winner for each category during a press conference at the Bologna International Children’s Book Fair on March 30.

The medals and diplomas will be presented to the winners during the 37th IBBY Congress in Moscow, Russia on September 6.

Photo: Iranian children’s writer Farhad Hassanzadeh in an undated photo.

ABU/MMS/YAW