The writer and teacher Beatriz Giménez de Ory has been awarded the XXX Cervantes Chico Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature, which celebrates its thirtieth edition in Alcalá de Henares in 2026. The jury also recognised the Argentine author Isol Misenta and several members of the educational community.
The writer Beatriz Giménez de Ory has won the XXX Cervantes Chico Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature, an award granted by the Alcalá de Henares City Council, which reaches its thirtieth edition in 2026. The jury, gathered in the city, highlighted the author's career, who holds a degree in Hispanic Philology and teaches Language and Literature in secondary schools, successfully combining teaching with a prolific literary career.
Giménez de Ory began writing stories for adults but soon turned to children's literature. Her work has been recognised with awards such as the Fundación Cuatrogatos, The White Ravens, the National Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature, and the Edebé Prize for Children's Literature. Among her most well-known titles are The Verses of the Silly Book, Bululú, To Be a Pirate, I Was Washing Ten Socks and Other Poems of the World, and Where Light Begins.
In addition to the main prize, the jury awarded the Ibero-American Cervantes Chico Recognition to the Argentine writer Isol Misenta, known for her style that fuses image and text. Misenta has received awards such as the Golden Apple and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, one of the most prestigious in world literature. According to the jury, her work has been internationally recognised by the Argentine Association of Children's and Young Adult Literature and the Banco del Libro de Caracas.
The awards also recognised the efforts of students, teachers, and families. Blanca León Mata, from CC Santa María de la Providencia, has been awarded as a Cervantes Chico student for her willingness to work, critical attitude, and welcoming ability. Teachers Susana Matas Gómez and Eva María Sánchez Alonso, from CEIP Cristóbal Colón, received recognition as teachers for their work in promoting reading through the transformation of the school library. Additionally, Rosa María Arce Pérez, from CEIPSO Ernest Hemingway, has received a special mention for her dedication to the library and the reading plan.
In the family sphere, the Parents' Association of Students from CEIP Ciudad del Aire has been awarded for its dynamic role and educational co-responsibility. The jury was chaired by the Councillor for Education, University and Sports, Lola López, and included the Councillor for Culture and Equality, Santiago Alonso, as well as specialists in children's literature, representatives from the University of Alcalá, the Organization of Ibero-American States, and the Community of Madrid.
Lola López congratulated all the awardees in a special edition marking three decades of the prize. The Cervantes Chico, awarded annually in Alcalá de Henares, has established itself as one of the benchmarks in Spanish children's and young adult literature.
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