Rellun pre IB -linjan opiskelija Jana Aldahdouh (24KA) osallistui nuorisojäsenenä Lastenkirjainstituutin palkintoraatiin, joka valitsi Punni-kirjallisuuspalkinnon voittajan keväällä 2025. Samuli Haaramo 23KA:lta haastatteli Janaa.
Lastenkirjainstituutti on valtakunnallinen lasten- ja nuortenkirjallisuuden sekä lastenkirjataiteen edistämis- ja tiedotuskeskus ja erikoiskirjasto. Punni-kirjallisuuspalkinto jaetaan kotimaiselle lasten- tai nuortenkirjan tekijälle esikoisteoksesta tai rohkeasta avauksesta lasten- ja nuortenkirjallisuudessa. Kirsi Kunnaksen Punni on hauska ja viisas kertomus erilaisuuden hyväksymisestä (Tiitiäisen tarinoita, 1957).
Raati valitsi Punni-kirjallisuuspalkinnon voittajaksi Edith Arkon selkokirjan Aurora/Eino (Hertta Kustannus 2024). Palkinnon arvo on 2000 euroa.
A front-row seat in the children’s literature prize jury
Jana Aldahdouh (24KA), Rellu’s pre IB program student, participated as a youth member in the Children’s Literature Institute’s prize jury, which selected the winner of the Punni Literature Prize in spring 2025. Samuli Haaramo (23KA) interviewed Jana.
The Children’s Literature Institute is a national center and specialized library that promotes and provides information about children’s and youth literature. The Punni Literature Prize is awarded to a domestic author of children’s or youth books for a debut work or a bold new approach in children’s and youth literature. Kirsi Kunnas’s Punni is a fun and wise story about accepting differences (Tiitiäisen tarinoita, 1957).
The jury chose Edith Arko’s easy-to-read book Aurora/Eino (Hertta Kustannus 2024) as the winner of the Punni Literature Prize. The prize amount is 2,000 euros.
Q: Jana Aldahdouh, how were you picked to become a youth member of the price jury?
A: They sent a message to schools around Pirkanmaa area, and my teacher asked me, “Do you want to join this jury?” So then I did, and I got accepted into the price jury.
Q: What work did you do when you were on the jury?
A: I had to first read the books. I had read most of the books before the first meeting but then had to read some of them again to remind myself of them. Then the jury discussed each book separately.
Q: How much youth literature did you read and how long did it take?
A: In total I read 66 books. Roughly 20% of those were youth literature and it took me a month and a half to read all of them.
Q: Did the jury agree on the winner in unison or was there some sort of compromise?
A: The winner was very single mindedly decided after the first round, but the runners up needed more discussion in later rounds.
Q: What was the best thing about working in the jury?
A: Reading the books as well as working with the very nice team around Finland.
Q: Do you have a favorite achievement and what did you learn while in the jury?
A: I have been reading books since I was little, so there was not that much new to me other than the ability to influence Finland’s youth and children’s literature. I learned to take into account other’s perspectives to make a unified decision on the winners.
Q. Did working in the jury alongside school create any pressure?
A: Yes, firstly my parents said, “Are you really going to read all of those?” and then there was a point I realized I had not read the required books for a meeting. Also the most important meetings were during an exam week, so that made it quite stressful.
Q: You read a lot in your free time. What is the best thing about reading in your opinion?
A: Imagination because in books you have the ability to imagine a scene or a background. It also helps with learning languages.
