The jury of Iakob Gogebashvili Children’s and Youth Literary Award announced the finalists.

Iakob Gogebashvili Children’s and Youth Literary Award was established in 2017 by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, together with Writers’ House. The award takes place annually and its goal is to activate and encourage children’s writers and publishers. This year the award is granted for the third time.

Books issued in 2018, plays and innovative children’s projects were eligible to participate.  

Altogether, 54 books, 6 innovative projects and 1 play were submitted for the award. You can see the long list here.

The jury was unable to create a shortlist for nomination “best prose book” (for adolescents aged 13 and older)

Best poetry book

• Natia Janashia “Let’s learn the months by playing”, Palitra L Publishing
• Givi Chigvinadze “The story of hills and woods”, “Tsisieri” Publishing

Best prose book

For little children aged 3-6 years

• Tea Topuria, Sonia Eliashvili, “Flood at the zoo”, Edition Orient Publishing
• Alex Chigvinadze, Lasha Bakradze “Birds in Tbilisi”, Zoliani Kata Publishing

For children aged 7-12 years:

• Maia Gelashvili “Shukipe”, Pegasi Publishing
• Lela Gaburi, “Chico and Kobulian children”
• Vasil Guleuri “Miko and Rey”, Kartuli Publishing

For adolescents aged 13 years and older

The jury couldn’t create a shortlist for this nomination

Best debut

• Tamar Gegeshidze “Soul bird”, Intelekti Publishing
• Giorgi Maskharasvhili (Nils Simeon) “Theory of 14 crystals”, Sulakauri Publishing

Best illustrated book

For little children aged 3-6 years:

• Sonia Eliashvili “Flood at the zoo”, Edition Orient Publishing
• Salome Khotivari, “My favorite fairy tales”, Palitra L Publishing

For children aged 7-12 years:

• Ana Janelidze, Diana Anfimiadi’s “Sweets and other tasty things for little readers”, Zoliani Kata Publishing
• Olesia Tavadze, “Power is in unity” by Sulkhan Saba Orbeliani, Sezani Publishing

Best children’s drama

• Alex Chigvinadze “The bear will return to the woods”

Best translation

• Sopo Karchkhadze, “Ollis” by Ingunn Thon, Sulakauri Publishing
• Nato Kvaratskhelia, “Madicken” by Astrid Lindgren, Sulakauri Publishing
• Tsitso Khotsuashvili, “Three men in a boat”, Sulakauri Publishing
• Lika Chapide, “I keep your letters under the mattress” by Astrid Lindgren and Sarah Schwardt, Intelekti Publishing
• Archil Rachveli, “How to train tour dragon” by Cressida Cowell, Palitra L Publishing

Best children’s/youth innovative project

• Nestan Magalashvili, Kote Iantbelidze, Manana Shekiladze, Tea Baramashvili – “Interactive map of Georgia”, Palitra L Publishing
• Pavle Tabatadze – “Interactive alphabet”
• Mariam Tsiklauri, Nino Chkhikvadze – television project “Club Do”

At the award ceremony one more winner will be announced and will be awarded for contribution to children’s literature. In past years the award in this nomination was granted to Guram Petriashvili and Dodo Khimshiashvili-Vadachkoria

The Award Ceremony of Iakob Gogebashvili Children’s and Youth Literary Award will be held on December 16^th, at Writers’ House.