Rania Zaghir (

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

: رانيا زغير, ) is a Lebanese writer and publisher of Arabic children books, several of which have been translated.

Biography

Rania Zaghir was born on 23 July 1977 in

Beirut, Lebanon Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint of ...

, to Syrian parents who emigrated to Lebanon in 1960. Aged ten, Zaghir moved with her family to Syria, escaping the Lebanese

civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

; there, she met her grandmother K. Rustom, who grew apple orchids, the inspiration for her book ''Sisi Malaket Talbas Kharofan Wa Dodatayn''. Zaghir refers to her childhood years as happy despite the ongoing civil war. Her home life was characterized by strong family ties. Zaghir attended the same school from kindergarten to grade 12. In 1995, Zaghir passed the entrance exams and was accepted at The Lebanese American University, where she earned a BA in Communication Arts. In 1999, she started the MA program in educational psychology at

American University of Beirut The American University of Beirut (AUB) ( ar, الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت) is a private, non-sectarian, and independent university chartered in New York with its campus in Beirut, Lebanon. AUB is governed by a private, aut ...

. Zaghir recalls doing little work, preferring to read

Amin Maalouf Amin Maalouf (; ar, أمين معلوف; born 25 February 1949) is a Lebanese-born French"Amin ...

, Nazek Saba Yared, and

Truman Capote Truman Garcia Capote ( ; born Truman Streckfus Persons; September 30, 1924 – August 25, 1984) was an American novelist, screenwriter, playwright and actor. Several of his short stories, novels, and plays have been praised as literary classics, ...

. She married French-Lebanese engineer David Samer Sabra. They have two boys together.

About

Zaghir's books have earned her numerous awards. ''Haltabees Haltabees'' earned the

Berlin International Literature Festival The Berlin International Literature Festival (german: internationales literaturfestival berlin) or ''ilb'' is an annual event based in Berlin. Every September, the festival presents contemporary poetry, prose, nonfiction, graphic novels and inte ...

Book Award (The Extraordinary Book 2015). She has also won the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue Between Cultures Award (2010), as well as Assabil (Friends of Public Libraries) 2009 Annual Award for Children's Literature granted to her in recognition of her book “Sisi Malakit Talbas Kharofan wa Dodatayn” (Al Khayyat Al Saghir Publishing House - The Little Tailor). This book has been translated into Italian and published by Serendapita, while “Lamma Balatet el Baher” has been translated into Korean and “Man Lahasa Karna il Booza” into 19 languages and is published by Edition Orient – Berlin. She is also the co-founder and curator of the International biannual children's literature conference known as: What a Story! In 2013, She established a national book charity: Libraries of Hope. In 2007, Zaghir founded Al Khayyat Al Saghir Publishing House.

Awards

Zaghir's books have earned her numerous awards Beirut earned the Beirut BookFair Best Children's Book Award in 2016. Haltabees Haltabees earned the

Book Award (The Extraordinary Book 2015). The Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue Between Cultures Award (2010). Assabil (Friends of Public Libraries) 2009 Annual Award for Children's Literature granted to her in recognition of her book “Sisi Malakit Talbas Kharofan wa Dodatayn” (Al Khayyat Al Saghir Publishing House - The Little Tailor).

Publications

* 2018: ''Fikreyyeh'' * 2016: ''khkhkh, Kuttab Laysa An Harf Al Khaa'' * 2015: ''Al-Khayyat Al Saghir'' * 2014: ''Haltabees, Ashaar Min Sumsum Wa Khayrat'' * 2011: ''Haltabees, Haltabees'' * 2010: ''Man Lahasa Qarn Al-Bootha'' * 2009: ''Limatha Amtarat Al Samaa Koursa wa Waraq Inab'' * 2009: ''Sissi Malaket Talbasu Kharufan Wa Dudatayn'' * 2007: ''Lamma Ballat El Bah''r * 2005: ''Sabbat Ayyam Fi Olbat Alwan'' * 2004: ''Hal Raaita Ahroufi'' * 2001: ''Akhi Al Sagheer''

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Zaghir, Rania Living people 1977 births