TEHRAN – The White Ravens Catalogue, compiled by Munich’s International Youth Library, has unveiled its 2026 edition with over 200 children's and youth titles in about 40 languages, including four Persian works by authors from Iran.

The Iranian books in the list include “The Suitcase Mix-up,” written by Farhad Hasanzadeh and illustrated by Haleh Ghorbani; “The Eternities and Trees,” written by Mohammad-Reza Shafiei Kadkani and illustrated by Hoda Hadadi; “We Are All Birds,” written by Mehdi Hejvani and illustrated by Ghazaleh Bigdelou; and “Where the Sun Rises,” written by Ali-Asghar Seidabadi and illustrated by Hadi Baghdadi, ISNA reported.
 
“The Suitcase Mix-up” is about migration, cultural diversity, and friendship. Sometimes the art of friendship is best learned from children – simple, sincere, and free of pretense. Such is the friendship between Gisoo and Ibis. 

After immigrating to Canada with her family, Gisoo discovers that her suitcase has been mistakenly swapped with that of a Cuban girl named Ibis. When the families meet to exchange the suitcases, an unexpected friendship begins between the two girls. 

This is a story not only about personal friendship, but also about the connection between two peoples, introducing aspects of Cuban and Iranian life as the two girls discover both similarities and differences between their cultures. 

The engaging narrative and the captivating illustrations make this book especially distinctive. With notable attention to detail, Haleh Ghorbani demonstrates her mastery in vividly depicting diverse places and cultures. 

Farhad Hasanzadeh has twice been shortlisted for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, while Ghorbani won the 2024 Image of the Book International Illustration and Book Design Competition.

“The Eternities and Trees” deals with the themes of homeland, migration, meaning of life, and poetry. Poetry has always held a special place in Iranian literature. Works of certain poets have become embedded in the collective memory of Iranians and have found their way into everyday speech and writing. 

Mohammad-Reza Shafiei Kadkani is one of Iran’s most distinguished contemporary poets, and his verses have earned an enduring place in the hearts, minds, and language of Persian speakers. 

This anthology includes poems chosen for their appeal to young readers, featuring themes that are both emotionally resonant and universally meaningful. Despite their brevity and concision, these poems encompass profound themes such as migration, identity, travel, nature, homeland, love, and the meaning of life. 

Hoda Hadadi’s captivating illustrations further enhance the beauty and depth of the text. In this book, the acclaimed Iranian artist remains faithful to the techniques that have long defined her work, while at the same time moving beyond her customary style to create a visual atmosphere distinct from that of her previous books.

“We Are All Birds” is centered on war, displacement, home, and freedom. The book celebrates both the feeling of belonging and the value of freedom. 

Forced by war to leave her home and city and move with her family to a refugee camp, the young narrator chooses not to dwell on sorrow. Together with the other children in the camp and the birds around them, she creates small diversions to ease the pain of displacement and homesickness. 

Yet the birds teach her another important lesson: a cage can never become a home. Home is a place where safety exists alongside freedom and joy. Told with remarkable brevity, the story relies on only a few sentences, while the illustrations carry much of the narrative. This approach moves the book beyond the conventional picture-book format and closer to the language of a graphic novel. 

Acclaimed author Mehdi Hejvani offers a fresh perspective on issues such as refuge and exile. Through wide visual perspectives, illustrator Ghazaleh Bigdelou conveys both the longing for freedom and the sense of homelessness that lie at the heart of the work.

“Where the Sun Rises” covers themes such as war and peace. Many conflicts arise because people cannot see the world from the point of view of those who contradict them. This picture book, like other works such as David McKee’s classic “Two Monsters,” presents this idea with striking clarity. 

Two towns lie on opposite sides of a mountain. The people of one town see the sun rise from the sea and set behind the mountain, while those on the other side see it rise behind the mountain and set in the forest. These differing perceptions lead to a bitter dispute that escalates into war. When both sides climb the mountain to confront each other, they discover the forest and the sea on the respective opposite side and finally understand the reason for their conflicting views. 

One of the book’s strengths lies in showing how children recognize this difference in perspective and help prevent further conflict. Hadi Baghdadi’s detailed illustrations enrich the story, reinforcing its themes of diversity and inclusion.

The annually published The White Ravens catalogue features brief annotations of more than 200 notable new children’s and young adult books from about 50 countries and regions and over 40 languages. 

The books are selected by the International Youth Library’s children’s literature experts from the large number of review and donation copies the library receives in the course of one year. The team focuses on titles that might be of interest to an international audience because of their literary and pictorial quality and/or the topics they address. 

The White Ravens catalogue, a treasure trove for literary discoveries, serves as a compass through the vast children's book market for publishers, libraries, literary festivals, international bookstores and agencies, as well as anyone interested in international children's books.

At the Frankfurt Book Fair, the IYL team will present some books from The White Ravens 2026 list, including their personal favorites. The event has been a fixture in the events calendar of the Frankfurt Book Fair for several years.

SS/SAB