Nira Harel

Nira Harel was born in Tel Aviv in 1936. She holds a BA in sociology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an MA in education from Tel Aviv University. She has taught, worked as journalist and broadcaster, produced study programs for the Ministry of Education, edited a children's magazine and served as chief editor for children's books at Am Oved Publishing House. At present, she is editor of a website that encourages children to read. Since 1970, Harel has published more than 60 books for children and a book of feuilletons. She has been awarded the Ze'ev Prize (1986), an Andersen Honor Citation (1994), the Prix Espace Enfants (France, 1998), a citation from the Fondation Espace Enfants (France, 2000), the Fania Bergstein Prize (2002) the Prime Minister's Prize (2007), the Arik Einstein Prize (2014) and the Devorah Omer Prize for Lifetime Achievement (2016). Her books have been published in 12 languages.