Taghreed Najjar (Arabic:تغريد النجار) (born 28 September 1951) is a Palestinian-Jordanian writer and publisher. She is the writer of over 50 Arabic children and young adults books. Some of her books were translated and published in different languages including English, Swedish, Turkish and French. She is the founder of Al Salwa Publishing House. Over the years, Al Najjar won several literary awards and in 2017 she was shortlisted for the Etisalat Children's Literature Award and the Sheikh Zayed Award. She is a member of the Jordanian Writer's Association.
Education and career Najjar is an author of children and young adult books who was born on 28 September 1951 in Jordan. In 1973, she graduated from the American University of Beirut with a bachelor's degree in English Language and a Diploma in Education with a minor in Psychology. Najjar worked as an English teacher and published her first children book "Safwan the Acrobat" in 1977. She has published more than 65 published books for children and young adults and she is considered a pioneer of modern literature of children in Jordan. Her book "Hawk Eye Mystery" was shortlisted in the Young Adult Book of the Year for Etisalat Award in 2014. At the same year, her story "Raghda's Hat" was shortlisted for Sheikh Zayed Book Award for Eighth Session. In 2019, Najjar was nominated for Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Her books were translated into different languages including Turkish, English, Swedish, French, and Chinese. Najjar participated in many international and regional conferences, events, and festivals like the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature in 2018.
Works
Children Safwan the Acrobat (Original title: Safwan Al Bahlawan), 1977 I Am Amazing (Original title: Ana Mudhisha), 1999 I Can (Original title: Inani Astatee), 1999 Not Yet (Original title: Laysa Baad), 1999 My Brother Zaid (Original title: Akhi Zaid), 1999 One Dark Night (Original title: Fi Layla Mothlema), 1999 The Lie That Grew Bigger (Original title: Al Kethba Alati Kabarat), 2001 Why Should I Sleep Early (Original title: Limatha Anamu Bakeran?), 2001 The Nicest Day (Original title: Ahla Youm), 2004 A Frog in our Classroom (Original title: Fi Safina Defda’a), 2004 Don’t Worry Dad (Original title: La Taqlaq Ya Abi), 2004 First Day of School (Original title: Awal Youm Madrasa), 2005 My Favorite Animal (Original title: Hayawani Al Mufadal), 2005 When the Doorbell Rang (Original title: Endama Yaduqu Al Bab), 2006 Adventure on the Farm (Original title: Mugamara Fi Al Mazra’a), 2008 The Story about a Boy Named Jacob (Original title: Kisat Walad Esmuhu Fayez), 2008 A Day on the Beach (Original title: Youmun Ala Shatee Al Bahr), 2009 This is How Fish Swim (Original title: Hek Yesbahu Al Asmak), 2010 Tasseh Tarantaseh, 2010 A Home for Arnoub (Original title: Bait Al Arnab Al Saier), 2010 Nashma and Jassem (Original title: Nashma wa Jassem), 2011 Karma’s Rabbit (Original title: Arnabu Karma), 2011 Anything (Original title: Ai Shaai), 2011 Omar is Lost (Original title: Da’a Omar), 2012 Watch Out Jude (Original title: Intabihi Ya Jude), 2012 Jude’s New Bicycle (Original title: Jude Wa Darajatuha Al Jadeeda), 2012 The Complete Halazone Series (Original title: Selselat Al Halazona Al Khamela), 2012 Who Hid the Eid Lamb? (Original title: Man Khabaa Kharof Al Aid?), 2012 Fifi, 2012 My Grandmother Nafeesa (Original title: Gadati Nafeesa), 2012 Why not? (Original title: Ma Al Manai), 2013 There’s a Jungle in Saifo’s Room (Original title: Fi Ghurfat Saifo Ghaba), 2014 Mr. Policeman (Original title: Amo Al Shurti), 2013 Kaak, 2013 Us Three Together (Original title: Ihna Al Thalatha Sawa), 2013 Saadeh the Monkey, 2013 There’s a Jungle in Saifo’s Room (Original title: Fi Ghurfat Saifo Ghaba), 2014 Sky is Raining Food (Original title: Al Sama Tumtiru Ta’aman), 2015 Al Ghoul, 2015 The Hard to Please Horse (Original title: Ashhab La Ya’ajebhu Al Ajab), 2016 The Amazing Toilet Paper Roll (Original title: Lafafat Al Waraq Al Ajeeba), 2016 What Happened to My Brother Ramez? (Original title: Matha Hasala Li Akhi Ramez), 2016 Mrs. Jawaher and Her Cats (Original title: Al Sayeda Jawaher Sadeeqat Al Qitat), 2016 Sleep Zaina (Original title: Nami Ya Zina), 2016 A Strange Adventure (Original title: Mughamara Ajeeba Ghareeba), 2017 Zekazam Zekazoom, 2018 The Amazing Egg Cartons 1 (Original title: Cartoonat Al Baid Al Ajeeba 1), 2019 The Amazing Egg Cartons 2 (Original title: Cartoonat Al Baid Al Ajeeba 2), 2019 Tala’s Car (Original title: Saiarat Tala), 2019 No Tala (Original title: La Ya Tala), 2019 When Mama Got Sick (Original title: Mama Maredaa), 2019 The Bird Flew (Original title: Wa Tar Al A’sfur), 2019 Who’s First (Original title: Man Awalan?), 2019 The Doctor’s Visit (Original title: Ziarat Tabeeb) 2019 The Case of the Spotted Leopard (Original title: Sair Al Fahd Al Muraqqat), 2019
Teen Raghda’s Hat (Original title: Kubaat Raghda), 2012 Against the Tide (Original title: Set Al Kul), 2013 The Mystery of the Falcon’s Eye (Original title: Lugz Ain Al Saqer), 2014 One Day the Sun Will Shine (Original title: SaToshreq Al Shamsu WaLw Bada Heen), 2017 Whose Doll is This? (Original title: Liman Hathihi Al Dumia), 2019
Awards She has been shortlisted and nominated for many awards, including the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature, Sheikh Zayed Book Award, and Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.
Her collection of rhymes, named "Musical Tickles" was selected by the National Center for Children's Literature as one of the best publications in the Arab World in 2012/2013. Her book "What Happened to My Brother Ramiz?" won the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature for Best Production.
See also Eman Al Yousuf Maria Dadouch Huda Hamad
References