Leire Bilbao Barruetabeña (Bizkaia, 47 years old) has been awarded the National Child and Youth Literature Award for his work Enlightened (Elkar), granted by the Ministry of Culture and endowed with 30,000 euros. “The poetic beauty with which the author, relying on different artistic disciplines, especially in the Enlightenment, presents a proposal with the implicit commitment for culture, peace and coexistence, addressing such raw issues as conflict, war and death causing them to be understandable for children,” the jury has argued.
The award falls to a book published only in Basque and without publication in Spanish to date. Had already happened in 2023 with Matby Patxi Zubizarreta. The recognition bases establish that a work “written in any of the official Spanish languages” can be granted.
Enlightened, Actually, it is a choral book, as the six names suggest on its cover. Leire Bilbao is the story writer, illustrated by June San Sebastian. In addition, it has music by Maite Larburu and dance choreographies of the Kukai company, directed by Jon Maya, and recorded on video by David Bernués, which is accessed through QR codes integrated into the illustrations.
The author, a Bachelor of Economic Law from the University of Deusto, has published numerous books for children as Xomorropoemas, which was Euskadi Literature Award 2017, Bichopoemas and other beastswith which he won the Kirico 2019 award; and Home waters, pRemio Lauaxeta 2021, among others. The jury has stressed that Enlightened, “Written with a deep lyrical load and a powerful message, it is an example and a lesson in literature without labels, interdisciplinary, deeply beautiful. A delicate and necessary piece that rootes with the deepest of human nature.”
Bilbao Barruetabeña published his first poems Scales, and 2006; and 2011 Scanner, In 2018 the bilingual poems Between scales and in 2020 Home waters. His adult work has been translated into several languages, is part of various anthologies and some of his compositions have been musicalized.
The award recognized in his last edition to Mónica Rodríguez, joining an extensive list of award -winning, among whom are Rafael Salmerón, Beatriz Giménez de Ory, Raimon Portell I Rifà, Juan Kruz Igarabide or Ledicia Costas, among others.