International Award for Arabic Children's Literature
1 appearances
-
Edition 2 (2010) Winner
Walid Taher
ワリード・ターヘル
Walid Taher
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1969-01-01 （Cairo, Egypt）
- Nationality
- Egypt
- Languages
- Arabic
- Residence History
- Ad Doqi (grew up) → Maadi (moved to) → Cairo (current base / active)
Career
- Occupations
- Author (children's literature), Children's book designer, Illustrator, Journalist painter, Plastic artist, Art director
- Active Years
- 1990-
- Affiliations
- Al-Shorouk (news), Dar Al Shorouk (publisher), Al-Dostor (newspaper), Nahdet Misr (newspaper), UNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO)
- Nominations
- 'Seven Souls' longlisted for the 2012 Sheikh Zayed Book Award — Children and Young People's Literature, 'The Island of Sailor Barakat' nominated for Etisalat Award — Best Direction (2019)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty of Fine Arts | — | Department of Décor (Interior Design) | — | — | Egypt |
Faculty of Fine Arts
Department of Décor (Interior Design)
Country:
Egypt
Sources state he graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Décor; the university name is not specified in cited sources.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | The Egyptian Board on Books for Young People (Professionals Competition) | My New Pal (Sahibi El Jadid) | — | The Egyptian Board on Books for Young People | Second place |
| 2010 | Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature | The Black Spot (Al-Noqta Al-Soda) | — | Etisalat Award | Winner |
| 2011 | The Annual Arabic Children's Book Award, Read Here, There and Everywhere (Anna Lindh Foundation) | Animals' Dreams (Ahlam Al-Hayawanat) | — | Anna Lindh Foundation | Winner |
The Egyptian Board on Books for Young People (Professionals Competition)
2001
Work:
My New Pal (Sahibi El Jadid)
Organization:
The Egyptian Board on Books for Young People
Result:
Second place
Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature
2010
Work:
The Black Spot (Al-Noqta Al-Soda)
Organization:
Etisalat Award
Result:
Winner
The Annual Arabic Children's Book Award, Read Here, There and Everywhere (Anna Lindh Foundation)
2011
Work:
Animals' Dreams (Ahlam Al-Hayawanat)
Organization:
Anna Lindh Foundation
Result:
Winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
My New Pal (Sahibi El Jadid)
2001 Children's literatureTaher's early children's book focusing on friendship and discovery from a child's perspective.
FriendshipChild's perspectiveDiscovery
Fizo Is Happy Now (Fizo Asbaha Saidan)
2003 Children's literatureA picture book that explores emotions and everyday humor through its character Fizo.
EmotionsHumorEveryday life
The Morons (Al-Aghbiyaa)
2007 Children/YoungA work that uses satirical elements to present social observations in a child-friendly manner.
SatireSocial observation
The Black Spot (Al-Noqta Al-Soda)
2009 Children's literatureOne of Taher's notable works; emphasizes questions and invites children to think rather than be instructed.
QuestioningImaginationAgency
My Beautiful Letters (Horoufy Al-Gamila)
2010 Children's literatureA visually inventive picture book aimed at encouraging interest in letters and writing.
Letter educationVisual creativity
Animals' Dreams (Ahlam Al-Hayawanat)
2010 Children's literatureA poetic picture book portraying dreams and imagination from animals' perspectives. Winner of an Anna Lindh award.
ImaginationNatureDreams
Seven Souls
Children/YoungDetails not specified in sources. Longlisted for the 2012 Sheikh Zayed Book Award (Children & Young People's Literature).
The Island of Sailor Barakat
Children's literatureA work nominated in 2019 for the Etisalat Award — Best Direction section.
Bibliography
- My New Pal (Sahibi El Jadid) — 2001
- Fizo Is Happy Now (Fizo Asbaha Saidan) — 2003
- The Morons (Al-Aghbiyaa) — 2007
- The Black Spot (Al-Noqta Al-Soda) — 2009
- My Beautiful Letters (Horoufy Al-Gamila) — 2010
- Animals' Dreams (Ahlam Al-Hayawanat) — 2010
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Question-driven style that treats children as interlocutorsVisual approach emphasizing interaction between illustration and textBlend of humor and occasional satire
- Recurring Motifs
- Child's perspectiveImagination and dreamsDiscovery in everyday life
Legacy
Walid Taher is known in the Arab world for his authorship, design and illustration in children's literature, having received and been nominated for several international awards. He has held exhibitions and workshops internationally and influenced visual approaches in picture books.
Academic Societies
- The Egyptian Board on Books for Young People
Quotes
-
Children have their own unique experience gained from interacting with their environment. Therefore I focus on posing questions rather than giving answers, involving the child in the story.
Source: Interview (sources include Alittihad and others) (2018)
Trivia
- Has published more than 40 children's books.
- Won the Etisalat Award in 2010 for 'The Black Spot.'
- Won the Anna Lindh Annual Arabic Children's Book Award in 2011 for 'Animals' Dreams.'
- In 1999 won first place in The Egyptian Board on Books for Young People competition for illustrating 'The Watermelon.'
- Has held six solo exhibitions (four in Egypt, two in France).
- Worked with French publisher Le Port a Jauni on bilingual (Arabic–French) children's book projects.