The protagonist of the winning work is Martí, an eleven-year-old boy who uses clear rules and exact schedules to navigate a noisy world. The story unfolds with the arrival of Amir, a new classmate who doesn't speak Valencian, and how Martí, with Sira's help, creates a picture dictionary to facilitate communication. The work explores themes such as friendship, differences, and finding one's place.
The award, organized by the Dénia City Council in collaboration with the Valencian publisher Andana Editorial and coordinated by the Dénia Public Library, comes with a prize of 3,000 euros and the publication of the winning work.
During the award ceremony, the mayor, Rafa Carrió, accompanied by the Councilor for Culture, Raúl García de la Reina, and the editor of Andana Editorial, Ricard Peris, presented the award to the winner. The prize, created by users of TAPIS Dénia, was presented at an event that also included the launch of the winning work's edition, illustrated by Ana Sanfelippo.
The gala concluded with the theater performance Voila, by the company JM Gestió Cultural. The jury for the ninth edition, composed of representatives from the Dénia City Council, Andana Editorial, and a specialist in children's literature, Vicent Vidal Lloret, selected the work from the 34 submissions this year.
The Dénia City Children's and Youth Narrative Award in Valencian is open to writers of any nationality who submit original, unpublished works in Valencian, suitable for readers aged 9 to 12. The news also recalls the winning works from previous editions, noting that several editions have been left vacant.
