Abdeltawwab Youssef is the first author to be added to arabworldbooks.com in March 1998.
Youssef passed away in September 2015.
Born on October 1st 1928 in 'Alfashn' in the governorate of Beniswef in Upper Egypt, Abdeltawab Youssef has dedicated his life to children's literature. Right from the start, he was able to differentiate between literature for children and writing for children. Not many have succeeded in creating authentic literature for children and he- by far- surpasses them all in both quantity and quality. Out of his over three hundred books- including a colorful variety of novels, stories, poetry and plays- his work 'The life of Mohamed' sold a record five million copies. In this fascinating tale, the story of the prophet's life is narrated by animals and inanimate objects.
Youssef has also written thousands of dramas and diverse programs for both radio and television all over the Arab world.
Of the many awards he received, were the King Faisal International Award for Literature in 1991 and the Award of the Arab Organization for Education, Culture and Sciences in 1990. In the year 2000, his book on the life of Muhammad in 20 stories, won the Bologna Fair award. His Toshka Series, is to featured by IBBY (International Board for Young People) on the IBBY Honor List 2000.
"A child's imagination is a vast universe that knows no limits, where images, characters, incidents and visions dwell." says Youssef. "If we do not help him or her to create this universe, the child on its own constructs it and brings it to life. It is where he or she keeps the stories and fables they have heard, where they reorganize the world according to their own vision, and in the exact way they themselves wish to portray it."
Positions Held :
As an undergraduate, Youssef was the writer, translator, and editor of the publications produced in school and at university. In 1950, after graduation, he was appointed in various positions in the Egyptian Ministry of Education:
Supervisor of School Broadcasting Programs from 1950-60.
Chairman of the Division of Journalism, Broadcasting and Television in the Public Relations Department from 1960-1971 and
Chaired the Division of Culture from 1971-75.
During the 1960s Abd-el-Tawwab Youssef was a member in the Egyptian Literary Association which included intellectuals who all lived to win state awards for their accomplishments.
In 1968, he founded The Children’s Cultural Association and established the Children’s Culture Committee of the Egyptian Higher Council for Culture. He was annually elected for eight years in a row as a member of the Administrative Board of Egyptian Writers.
In March 1970, he was the coordinator of the First International Conference on Children’s Culture in Egypt. Since then, he has chaired and taken part in most of the conferences, symposia, and events that were held in Egypt or in the Arab world focusing on Children’s Rights, Children’s Culture and Children’s Literature.
In 1970, he was invited to England as part of a delegation that visited libraries, schools and bookstores to study Children’s Culture in UK.
In 1975, he started focusing on publishing books and writing stories for children for Cairo Radio and Television and for all the broadcasting services in the Arab world.
He served as the Consultant of the State Publishing House, the General Egyptian Book Organization for the past thirty years.
Activities in the Arab World and the West :
Consultant for the Arab Bureau for Education in the Gulf, the King Faisal Research Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Children’s Culture House in Baghdad, Iraq, and the Heritage Center of the Arab Gulf States in Doha, Qatar.
UNESCO expert on Children’s Television and Theater in Qatar from 1980-83. UNESCO expert on Educational Technology in Qatar in 1985.
In 1985, he lectured at the University of Ohio on importance and role of Arab Literature in writing for children.
Attended book fairs for children in Germany, Italy, England, France, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia in Europe, in the Philippines and China in Asia, and to the US and Canada.
Some of his books have been translated into English, French, German, Persian, Indonesian, Chinese, and Malaysian languages.
A few examples of his numerous works are :
In Arabic
Hassan and Ihsan at Ibn Lokman's his first novel, published in 1969.
The Valiant skipper a novel published 1991.
Uncle Ni'ina' probably the first play ever to be written in Arabic for children, was presented in the sixties in the Cairo Opera House.
Goha feeds his Clothes is one of seven humorous plays based on the character "Goha".
Colors is a fascinating collection of nine books. The first reveals what Physics and Optics are to Colors. Each of the other books then discusses each color separately. In the "Color Red" for example the child discovers it in fruits, vegetables, the blood cells, Red Riding Hood, the Red Sea and so on.
Let's read series Published 1999, a collection of 15 books awarded Suzan Mubarak's prize
Stories of Nations 1999- Safir- a series of 30 books
The Life Of Muhammad in 20 stories winner of International Bologna Fair award as well as writing, publishing and design awards. Animals and inanimate objects familiar to the child are the narrators.
Toshka Series on the IBBY Honor List 2000
In English
Arab Pioneers and Western Scientists in a Strange Encounter published in English in 1984. In this Egyptian State prize winning book, Youssef brilliantly sets imaginary encounters between Western and Arab scientists, separated by centuries, but linked by the same scientific disciplines.
The Dancing Skeleton a collection of short stories set in the heart of Egyptian villages.
