Children's literature is an investment in the cultural formation of new generations. A good book awakens the imagination, nurtures curiosity, shapes thought and leaves traces that accompany the reader throughout life. Based on this conviction, the evaluation process of the Literary Creativity Fund "Children's Book", 2026, one of the most important initiatives of the National Center for Book and Reading (QKLL), for the support of Albanian children's creativity, was developed.

There are professional experiences that end when the task is completed, but also those that will remain in the memory for a long time. Chairing the jury of the "Children's Book" Literary Creativity Fund, 2026, was one of them.

A professional responsibility, a test of integrity, ethics and trust in the institution. When I accepted this responsibility, I knew it would not be an ordinary process. For days I lived with manuscripts, with analysis, discussions and the responsibility to make decisions that would affect the creative journey of the authors.

The evaluation process was conducted on a standard that, in my opinion, is the greatest guarantee of fairness. We did not know who each manuscript belonged to. We did not know the authors, the titles, or the publishing houses. Each manuscript was identified only by a code.

This year, we reviewed 16 manuscripts with a variety of genres and creative approaches. Each manuscript was analyzed based on professional criteria, such as: originality of idea, narrative structure, character development, language, artistic style, message and educational impact. It was a long process, with re-readings, discussions and reflections, where no decision was made in haste.

In the jury, together with Rovena Rrozhani and Rudina Çupi, we shared the same responsibility and the same professional standard, as writers, editors, researchers, poets, translators, journalists, teachers and education experts. It was precisely this combination of perspectives that enriched the analysis and made the process more complete. We discussed at length, argued each position and, in the end, the decision was reached by agreement. There was no compromise on quality or imposed decisions. The winners were the result of a consensus built solely on the artistic value of the manuscripts.

The debates were not intended to impose the individual opinion of any member of the jury. On the contrary, they served to achieve the most fair professional solution. Precisely for this reason, the final decision was made with full agreement by all three members of the jury. The winners were not the result of compromises or separate votes, but the fruit of a long process of reading, analysis, reflection and professional consensus.

 

Only after the evaluation was completed were the identities of the authors and publishing houses revealed. It was a moment that left an impression on me. I realized that the process had worked as it should, because quality had spoken before the name. After the completion of this process, the five semi-finalist manuscripts were selected, which stood out for their artistic level, originality and creative potential. The finalists of this edition were: Adelina Mamaqi, Aldo Mustafa, Fatmir Gjestila, Teuta Toska and Xhahid Bushati. I have been part of many professional processes, but this was probably the first time that I felt the weight of confidentiality so strongly.

1 week ago, with the announcement of the 5 semi-finalist manuscripts, the names of the jury were also made public. During this week, I received messages and inquiries from people I had known for years. Some wanted to know the progress of the process, others were trying to get even a small piece of information. My answer was always the same, I could not provide any information. It was an obligation to the institution, to my jury colleagues, but above all to the authors who had trusted in this process.

After the final analysis, the three beneficiaries of the "Children's Book" Literary Creativity Fund, 2026, were announced.

1. Teuta Toska (Albas publishing house) was awarded with the manuscript: "They Call Us the Qiriazi Sisters", for the emotional and contemporary narrative that introduces readers to the life, mission and challenges of the Qiriazi sisters in the service of education, the Albanian language and national identity.

2. Adelina Mamaqi (Univers Publishing) was praised for her manuscript: "Calendar Stories", a collection of stories full of humor and originality, which transforms the days of the calendar into entertaining and educational stories, arousing the curiosity of young readers.

3. Xhahid Bushati (Mediaprint Publishing House) was awarded with the manuscript "The Old Man with Ice Cream", for the artistic values ​​of poems and fairy tales in verse, which combine nature, fantasy and the emotional world of the young reader, encouraging imagination and a love of reading.
Among the winners was Adelina Mamaqi, one of the most important figures in Albanian children's literature, with an entire life dedicated to creativity and dozens of books that have accompanied entire generations of readers.

Likewise, Xhahid Bushati, a consolidated name in this literature, an author with a prominent and lasting contribution to the enrichment of Albanian children's literature, was appreciated. Equally significant was the selection of Teuta Toska, who, through this Fund, marks an important moment in her creative journey. This appreciation officially introduces her as a new voice in Albanian children's literature and fulfills one of the most important missions of the "Children's Book" Fund, the promotion of new authors, alongside already consolidated names.

This call managed to bring together in the same edition authors with many years of experience, such as Adelina Mamaqi, Xhahid Bushati, and to discover a new voice in children's literature, such as Teuta Toska. For me, this was one of the most beautiful messages of this process, children's literature moves forward when tradition and the new generation are supported equally. While receiving the Certificate, Ms. Toska, mentioned a coincidence that this year is also related to the 135th anniversary of the first Albanian school for girls, in Korça, founded by Gjerasim Qiriazi and his sister Sevasti Qiriazi-Dako (October 23, 1891).

After the results were announced, the others who were not winners did not take this news well. I completely understand this feeling. In every competition there are winners, but also authors who do not reach the target this time. This does not diminish the value of their work at all. On the contrary, many of the manuscripts showed a good creative level and deserve to continue their journey towards publication and readers. I believe that creativity is not measured by a single result, but by the persistence to continue writing.

One of the strongest impressions that I left from this process is related to my first collaboration with the new director of the National Center for Books and Reading, Ms. Arta Marku. Although I knew her professional figure before, during this collaboration I saw up close the way she conceives the administration of a public process. Full respect for procedures, trust in expertise and zero tolerance for any external influence. It was precisely this working climate that gave the jury the calm and independence necessary to exercise their duty with full responsibility.

At the end of this journey, I remain convinced that institutions gain public trust only when processes are fair and professional. This is why I agreed to share this experience, not to talk about the winners, but to show how the winners were reached.

Congratulations to the fund beneficiaries and good luck to everyone!

Written by Flori Kasaj, Chairman of the Jury of the Literary Creativity Fund "Children's Book", 2026

25 July 2026