On December 16^th , Writers’ House held an award ceremony of Iakob Gogebashvili Children’s and Youth Literary Award. The jury members, Lela Tsutskiridze, Giorgi Chauchidze, Paata Papava, Tamar Kvijinadze and Tamri Pkhakadze revealed the winners of Iakob Gogebashvili Children’s and Youth Literary Award

This year, the award winners are:

Best poetry book

Givi Chigvinadze “The stories 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

For children aged 7-12 years:

Vasil Guleuri “Miko and Rey”, “Kartuli” Publishing

Best debut

Giorgi Maskharashvili (Nils Simeoni) “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

For children aged 7-12 years:

Olesia Tavadze, “the 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

Tsitso Khotsuashvili, “Three men in a boat” by Jerome K. Jerome, Sulakauri Publishing;

Lika Chapidze, “I keep your letters under the mattress” by Astrid Lindgren and Sarah Schwardt, Intelekti Publishing;

Best children’s /youth innovative project

Mariam Tsiklauri, Nino Chkhikvadze – television project “Club Do” 

For contribution to children’s literature

The award was given to children’s poet Mzia Chkhetiani.

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.

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

Altogether 54 books, 6 innovative projects and one play were submitted, you can see the shortlist here.

This year, the award in the nomination “Best prose book for adolescents aged 13 and over” was not awarded.

The award is financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia