The Estonian Section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) has announced the nominees for the Paabeli Tower Translation Prize, which honors the best translated children’s books. This year marks the 22nd time the award is presented.
A total of ten titles were shortlisted from books published between October 2024 and the end of September 2025. The competition is divided into two categories: picture books and storybooks. Five nominees were selected in each category. The shortlisted works have been translated into Estonian from English, German, Finnish, Polish, Lithuanian, Faroese, and Macedonian.
Picture book category nominees:
- Artur Gębka: “Father’s Bottle”, illustrated by Agata Dudek, translated from Polish by Liisi Laineste (Koolibri);
- Rebecca Gugger: “The Treasure of Words”, illustrated by Simon Röthlisberger, translated from German by Piret Pääsuke (Pegasus);
- Áslaug Jónsdóttir, Kalle Güettler, Rakel Helmsdal: “’No!’ Said Little Monster”, translated from Icelandic by Kadri Sikk (Nordur);
- Vane Kosturanov: “The Girl and the Bear”, translated from Macedonian by Rauno Alliksaar (Päike ja Pilv);
- Kotryna Zylė: “The Best Day”, illustrated by Inga Dagilė, translated from Lithuanian by Tiina Kattel (Eesti Raamat).
Storybook category nominees:
- Justyna Bednarek: “The Unusual Adventures of Ten Socks”, translated from Polish by Hendrik Lindepuu (Päike ja Pilv);
- Katie Kirby: “Lottie Brooks’s Wildly Chaotic Christmas”, translated from English by Hels Kure (Eesti Raamat);
- Sara Pennypacker: “Finally, Jetke”, translated from English by Eve Laur (Pegasus);
- Anja Portin: “The Book of Mist Trees”, translated from Finnish by Triin Tael (Vesta);
- Nadja Sumanen: “Rambo”, translated from Finnish by Kristiina Kass (Päike ja Pilv).
The winners will be announced on 13 November at IBBY Estonia’s Autumn Evening event at the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre.
The jury consisted of Krista Kumberg (chair), Eda Ahi, Tuulike Kivestu, Mart Rummo, and Anti Saar.
