A special book package for children and youth was distributed to all public libraries as a tribute to the late Mehdi Azar-Yazdi, author of children’s books.
Public Libraries Foundation chief manager, Ali Ramezani, said 50% of the book sales at the 28th Tehran International Book Fair held in May this year was on children’s literature. “Children and youth need long-term investment, so the foundation follows policies on creation, development and supply of books to public libraries, he said, ISNA reported.
Nearly 1,730 packages were distributed to children literature sections at public libraries. The packages include 84 book volumes and included ‘ Good Stories for Good Children,’ authored by Yazdi. The book is one of the most remarkable works in the field of children’s literature, which has been reprinted often.
He expressed hope that the readership will warmly welcome the rich sources of literature in the children’s section.
It is noteworthy that more than 1,700 public libraries specify a separate section for youth literature.
July 8 has been named as the Day of Children and Adolescent’s Literature on Yazdi’s death anniversary. Authors of children’s books unanimously believe that he was the founder of children’s literature.
Azar-Yazdi passed away on July 9, 2009. His ‘Good Stories for Good Children’, which won a UNESCO prize in 1966 and was selected as Iran’s best book of the year in 1967, remains a hot pick among children’s books in Iran.
Born in 1921, he began writing for children in 1956. He wrote seven books, each of which is adapted from a classic of Persian literature and rewritten for children in an easy-to-understand style.
He was also author of ‘The Naughty Cat’, ‘The Playful Cat’, ‘Simple Stories’, ‘Poetry of Sugar and Honey’ and ‘Masnavi of Good Children’. His ‘Adam’ was chosen as Iran’s book of the year in 1968.
