Samar Mahfouz Barraj
Samar Mahfouz Barraj (Arabic:) is an author, poet, playwright, songwriter, trainer, and children’s literature translator. A number of her books have been nominated and won prestigious awards from all over the world, including Arabic and regional awards. Early life and education. Samar Mahfouz Barraj was born and lives in the Republic of Lebanon. She received her teaching diploma in Arabic and Social Studies (Elementary) in 2002 from the American University of Beirut, and a bachelor's degree in  Arabic and social sciences from the same university. She also received a bachelor’s degree in public administration  in 1981 from the American University of Beirut. Career. In 2007, Barraj wrote her first book "I didn’t mean it" which became the starting point to publishing over 60 books with different publishing houses. Barraj has translated more than 78 books in several languages including Italian, English, and French. The Spanish translation of her book "Grandma Will Always Remember Me" won the first prize for Children’s books in Beirut Arab International Book Fair in 2012. In 2015 "Red Line" won the Kitabi Arabic Children’s Book Prize organized by the Arab Thought Foundation. "Red Line" was then translated  into Turkish. "Red Line" was the first of its kind; to raise awareness towards child harassment for children to read in a pleasant and creative way. "My Friend" won the Kitabi Arabic Children’s Book Prize for 2017. "How beautiful is sleep!" was listed on the IBBY honor list 2014 for the best text category. In 2014, her book "Ball…Ball" was long-listed for Sheikh Zayed Book Award in the Children's literature category and in 2017 again for her book "Al Betaqa Al Ajeeba" (The Amazing Card). In addition, four of her books were listed for the Etisalat  Award for Arabic Children's Literature. at the Sharjah International Book Fair; "Looking for a Hobby" in 2010, "My Mother and Smoking" the following year, "When My Friend Got Sick" in 2011 which also won the second prize for children’s books at Beirut Arab International Book Fair in 2011, and "Shadi’s Foot" which was longlisted for the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature in 2011. Barraj was a member of the administrative faculty at the Lebanese American University since 2013, and the Lebanese Board on Books for Young People since 2007, a member of the founding team  for Mubadara, an "Initiative to Develop an Arab Child Reader" in 2015. She was the Assistant Arabic Coordinator and Coordinator of Library Activities between 2007 to 2012, and an Arabic and social studies teacher between 2002 to 2007. She hosts writing workshops for adults and children as a trainer on "how to teach Arabic through fun", "how to promote reading stories in Arabic", and "creative writing for children" since 2007. Barraj has participated in many exhibitions, lectures, and panels including speaking at the International Middle East Symposium on "the role of children literature and education in making a difference" in  2014. She was a guest author at the Emirates Airlines Literature Festival in Dubai, a session entitled "From an Idea to a Story" and a creative writing workshop for children entitled "Children can also write" the same year. In 2013, Barraj was a speaker at the First International Board on Books for Young People Conference for the Region of Central Asia and North Africa (CANA) on the "importance of library activities sessions in promoting reading in schools". In 2012, she was a speaker at both Sharjah Book Fair for Children Books and Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, panel entitled "How  to Promote Reading". Books. Some of her books include: