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Sonia Nimr

ソニア・ニムル

Sonia Nimr

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1955-01-01 （Jenin）
Nationality
Palestinian
Languages
Arabic, English
Residence History
Jenin (birth) → United Kingdom (residence/studies) → Ramallah (residence)

Career

Occupations
Writer, Storyteller, Oral historian, Ethnographer, Academic
Active Years
1986-
Affiliations
Birzeit University, Department of Cultural Studies
Influenced By
Palestinian folktales and oral traditions
Influenced
Younger Palestinian writers and children's authors

Education

Birzeit University
Country: Palestine
Participated in student activism. Graduation year unknown.
University of Exeter
Oral history
Degree: PhD
Year of Graduation: 1990
Country: United Kingdom
Received PhD in oral history.

Awards

Carnegie Medal (nomination)
2003
Work: A Little Piece of Ground
Organization: CILIP (Carnegie Medal)
Result: nominated
IBBY Honour List
2004
Work: A Little Piece of Ground
Organization: International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY)
Result: honour list
Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature
2014
Work: Wondrous Journeys to Strange Lands
Category: Best Young Adult Book
Organization: Etisalat Award organizers
Result: winner
IBBY Honour List
2014
Work: Wondrous Journeys to Strange Lands
Organization: International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY)
Result: honour list
Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature (shortlist)
2017
Work: Thunderbird
Category: Best Young Adult Book
Organization: Etisalat Award organizers
Result: shortlisted
Sharjah Children's Book Award
2018
Work: Thunderbird
Category: Young Adults
Organization: Sharjah cultural institutions
Result: winner
Sheikh Zayed Book Award (shortlist)
2018
Work: Thunderbird
Organization: Sheikh Zayed Book Award organizers
Result: shortlisted

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

A Little Piece of Ground

2003 Young adult / Children's literature

A novel co-written from the perspective of a 12-year-old boy about life in the occupied West Bank. Written in English and later translated into several languages.

Occupation and resistanceChildren's perspectiveEveryday life under conflict
Translations
  • Translated into Arabic and several European languages and Japanese

Wondrous Journeys to Strange Lands

2013 Young adult / Feminist folk-historical novel

A story blending folktale elements and historical background, foregrounding female protagonists and reinterpreting tradition and history.

Women's empowermentHistory and folktalesIdentity
Translations
  • Translated into several languages

Ghaddar the Ghoul and Other Palestinian Stories

2007 Children's folktale collection

A collection presenting Palestinian folktales in English, retelling traditional narratives for young readers.

FolktalesOral cultureMorals and lessons

Thunderbird

2017 Young adult / Fantasy (time-travel)

A time-travel adventure following Noor and her 16th-century friend Andaleeb as they journey toward Jerusalem, combining history, magic and friendship.

Reinterpreting historyFriendshipFemale protagonists
Translations
  • English translation by Marcia Lynx Qualey

A Story that Begins and Ends with Lies

2012 Children's / Young adult

A collection of stories blending fact and fiction, strongly influenced by oral tradition.

Story and truthOral tradition

Bibliography

  • A Little Piece of Ground (with Elizabeth Laird), 2003
  • Ghaddar the Ghoul and Other Palestinian Stories, 2007
  • Yalu: Children's Examination of Adult Memory (with Nadiah Aruri), 2000
  • Wondrous Journeys to Strange Lands, 2013
  • Thunderbird, 2017
  • The Arab revolt of 1936–1939 in Palestine: a study based on oral sources, 1990

Translations of Works

  • A Little Piece of Ground: translated into Arabic and several European languages and Japanese
  • Thunderbird: English translation by Marcia Lynx Qualey (2020)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Incorporation of colloquial spoken languageRetelling in a folktale/oral-tradition styleAccessible yet symbolic prose for children and young adults
Recurring Motifs
Female protagonistsFusion of folktale and historyResistance and liberation

Legacy

Sonia Nimr is recognized for reworking Palestinian folktales into contemporary children's and young adult literature, emphasizing representations of women and the preservation of cultural memory. Her international translations and awards have amplified Palestinian voices in children's literature.

Academic Societies

  • International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) recognition

Quotes

  • If we liberate women, we will have taken a step towards the liberation of Palestine.
    Source: Interviews (various sources)

Trivia

  • Arrested in 1975 for student activism and sentenced to three years in prison; prison experience influenced her writing.
  • Wrote early children's stories while incarcerated; some manuscripts were confiscated.
  • Use of colloquial Arabic in her writing has sparked debate among publishers.