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Affaf Tobbala

アファフ・トッバラ

Affaf Tobbala

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1941-07-12 （Cairo, Egypt）
Nationality
Egypt
Languages
Arabic, French

Career

Occupations
television documentary director, television producer, screenwriter, children's author, educator
Active Years
1966-
Nominations
Hans Christian Andersen Award nominee (nominated by the Egyptian Board on Books for Young People, 2016)

Education

Cairo University
Faculty of Arts / French Literature
Degree: BA
Year of Graduation: 1965
Country: Egypt
Cairo University
Faculty of Mass Communications / Mass Communications
Degree: MA
Year of Graduation: 1987
Country: Egypt
Cairo University
Faculty of Mass Communications / Mass Communications
Degree: PhD
Year of Graduation: 1996
Country: Egypt

Awards

Suzan Mubarak Prize for Children's Literature
2006
Work: The Silver Fish
Result: 受賞
Bologna Children's Book Fair Ragazzi Award (New Horizons — mention)
2006
Work: The Silver Fish
Category: New Horizons
Result: 言及
Suzan Mubarak Prize for Children's Literature
2007
Work: Sika and Mokka
Result: 受賞
IBBY Honour List
2010
Work: Sika and Mokka
Organization: International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY)
Result: リスト掲載
Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature
2009
Work: Dom ... Tata ... Dom
Organization: Etisalat Award committee
Result: ショートリスト
Anna Lindh Foundation — Honor List for Children's Books in the Arab World
2010
Work: Old Papers
Organization: Anna Lindh Foundation
Result: 選出
Sheikh Zayed Book Award for Children's Literature in the Arab World
2011
Work: The House and the Palm Tree
Organization: Sheikh Zayed Book Award committee
Result: 受賞
Anna Lindh Foundation Arab Children's Literature Award
2011
Work: The Eye
Organization: Anna Lindh Foundation
Result: 受賞
Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature
2013
Work: Oud Al Sanabel
Organization: Etisalat Award committee
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Silver Fish

2005 Children's literature

A children's story illustrated in watercolor by Adly Rizqallah, exploring children's imagination and perceptions through a gentle narrative.

imaginationchildhood perception
Translations
  • Translated into English

Sika and Mokka

2006 Children's literature

A children's book about friendship and play, written in an accessible style that appeals to young readers.

friendshipplay
Translations
  • Translated into English, Turkish and Korean

A New Dream

2007 Children's literature

A short children's story themed around dreams and hope.

dreamshope

Old Papers

2009 Children's literature / leaning toward YA

A work that reflects on family and daily life through fragments of memory and the past.

memoryfamily

Dom ... Tata ... Dom

2008 Children's literature

A children's book that observes small customs and social effects, with a touch of documentary and allegory.

customssociety

The House and the Palm Tree

2009 Children's literature

A story that uses the house and a palm tree as symbols to explore belonging and memory.

homebelonging

The Eye

2010 Children's literature

An allegorical children's story themed around observation and perspective.

observationperspective

Oud Al Sanabel

2013 Children's literature

A work that weaves traditional motifs with a child's perspective; winner of the 2013 Etisalat Award.

traditiongrowing up

The Homecoming Song

2014 Children's literature

A gentle children's story themed on homecoming and reunion.

homecomingreunion

Sun

2016 Children's literature

A children's book that explores a child's sensibility through nature and light.

naturelight

I Will Have Friends

2017 Children's literature

A gentle children's story about friendship and social relationships.

friendshipsocial development

Bibliography

  • Al-samaka Al-faddia (The Silver Fish) — 2005
  • Sika We Mokka (Sika and Mokka) — 2006
  • Hilm Gadid (A New Dream) — 2007
  • Awraq Qadima (Old Papers) — 2009
  • Dom ... Tata ... Dom — 2008
  • Al-Bait Wa Annakhlah (The House and the Palm Tree) — 2009
  • Haneen — 2009
  • Trak ... Tata ... Trak — 2010
  • Al-Ayn (The Eye) — 2010
  • Hola ... Tata ... Hola — 2011
  • Oud Al Sanabel — 2013
  • Unshudat Al-Awdah (The Homecoming Song) — 2014
  • Shams (Sun) — 2016
  • Sayakun Li Asdeqaa (I Will Have Friends) — 2017

Translations of Works

  • Works translated into English
  • Works translated into Turkish
  • Works translated into Korean

Style & Themes

Literary Style
warm narrative voiceallegorical and symbolic descriptionconcise, child-centered prose
Recurring Motifs
memoryhomefamilychildhoodtraditional motifs

Legacy

Affaf Tobbala is regarded as an important late-blooming figure in Egyptian children's literature. Known for her observational skills from years in television documentary production and a warm narrative voice, she has received and been selected for several national and international honors.

Trivia

  • She began writing children's books at age 64.
  • Worked in Egyptian television as a documentary director and producer from 1966 to 2001.
  • Several of her books have been translated internationally and have received or been selected for multiple awards.