TEHRAN – Author Ahmad Akbarpour and illustrator Reza Dalvand have been selected by the Children’s Book Council (CBC) of Iran as the Iranian nominees for the 2028 Hans Christian Andersen Award.

Akbarpour has been selected by the CBC for the second time. In 2026, he was one of the final six authors nominated for the awards in the authors section though he did not win it, IRNA reported.

Born in Fars Province, Ahmad Akbarpour, 56, is a novelist and author of short stories and children's books. He got his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran and his master's degree in children's literature from Shiraz University in Shiraz.

He began writing for adults before turning to children’s and young adult literature after discovering Constantin Virgil Gheorghiu’s “Twenty-Fifth Hour”. A student of Reza Baraheni and Houshang Golshiri, he soon started writing fiction for adolescents, adopting a postmodern style of writing. 

Introduced to Iran’s Children’s Book Council, he submitted his first poem, and soon became one of Iran’s most celebrated authors for young readers, with over 50 books to his name. 

His short novel “That Night’s Train” (1999) received the Book of the Year award from Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. During his career, Akbarpour discussed such topics as fear, loneliness, and peace.

In some of his works, he shows his disdain for the destructive impact of war on children. His children’s anti-war book “Good Night Commander” and “That Night’s Train,” illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault, were published in English by Groundwood Books in the US and Canada in 2010 and 2012, respectively.

Known for inventive storytelling that challenges conventional narratives, Akbarpour invites readers to think critically and empathetically, weaving universal themes such as peace, friendship, and family into works like “The Giant and the Bicycle”. 

His versatility spans humor, fantasy, realism, and myth, as seen in “Good Night Commander,” “Roc Girl,” and “That Night’s Train”. He also addresses social issues, including the experiences of children with special needs or from marginalized backgrounds. His stories often collaborate closely with Iranian illustrators, enhancing their visual and emotional impact.

Translated into multiple languages, including English, German, Korean, Chinese, Turkish, Italian, Portuguese, and Arabic, and adapted into films, his works have earned recognition, including the 2024 White Ravens list (Munich), the National Children’s Literature Festival of Shiraz, and inclusion in Iran’s “Must Read and Influential Books of the Last Thirty-Three Years.” He was shortlisted for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2023 and 2025.

The most distinguishing characteristic of his works is their humor, which makes his writings captivating and agreeable. Akbarpour, who is always on the lookout for new and different elements, is thus able to look at his subject from a different perspective in some of his works and pull the reader’s imagination along. He has also had the experience of rewriting some old legends. He conducted some research and gathered Persian satire proverbs and traditional children’s games.

Beyond writing, Akbarpour mentors emerging writers through workshops, helping shape the next generation of Iranian children’s literature. His commitment to creativity, inclusivity, and critical thinking has made him a leading voice in global children’s literature.

Reza Dalvand, 37, is an award-winning author and illustrator of more than 30 books for readers of all ages, including “Where Is My House?” and “Mrs. Bibi’s Elephant”. His works have been showcased in many solo and group exhibitions in Iran, England, Japan, South Korea, Ukraine, and several other countries.

His illustration has received worldwide recognition; he has been longlisted for the World Illustration Awards, has been featured twice by the Bologna Exhibition Book Fair, received the Grand Prize of the Oshima Picture Book Museum Award of Japan, was a nominee for two Astrid Lindgren Memorial Awards, was highlighted at Sharjah Children Reading Festival, and many more.

Dalvand is a member of Iranian Illustrators Society. He graduated from Isfahan Art University, and gained a Master’s in Illustration from Tehran University. He has taught at Tehran University and worked as art director on hundreds of children’s books.

His work blends emotional storytelling with poetic visuals, often exploring themes such as childhood, self-acceptance, social justice, and identity. 

Creating magical worlds rooted in real cultures, details, and feelings, he invites both children and adults into stories that are whimsical yet deeply human. 

Strongly influenced by his Persian heritage, his work carries a universal resonance that has reached readers around the world.

The Hans Christian Andersen Awards are two literary awards given biennially by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), recognizing one living author and one living illustrator for their lasting contribution to children's literature. 

The writing award was first given in 1956, the illustration award in 1966. The former is sometimes called the Nobel Prize for children's literature.

The awards are named after Hans Christian Andersen, a 19th-century Danish author of fairy tales, and each winner receives the Hans Christian Andersen Medaille (a gold medal with the bust of Andersen) and a diploma.

SS/SAB