IAACL announces July 31 registration deadline

July 20, 2026 / 3:14 PM

Sharjah 24: International Award for Arabic Children’s Literature (IAACL), organized by the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) and sponsored by "e&", has called on authors, illustrators, and publishers specializing in Arabic children’s and young adult literature to complete their registration before July 31, 2026, the deadline for receiving registration applications for the eighteenth edition. Books and nominated works will continue to be received until August 31, 2026, allowing registered publishers time to complete the application procedures and submit paper copies of the nominated works.

Main categories

The edition features five main categories of books: early childhood books, picture books, chapter books, young adult books, and nonfiction books. These categories reflect the latest changes for 2026.

Submissions must be original Arabic works published in print within the last five years, no previous awards, and comply with intellectual property rights. Educational, school, or scientific books, as well as electronic or audio series or publications, are not eligible.

Award’s prize

The prize is AED 1.2 million and will go to authors, illustrators, and publishers across five categories, reaffirming its commitment to supporting the Arab children's book industry and fostering excellence in this cultural sector.

The winners will be announced during the opening of the Sharjah International Book Fair 2026.