{"id":247751,"date":"2026-06-22T11:20:43","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T15:20:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=247751"},"modified":"2026-06-22T11:20:43","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T15:20:43","slug":"2026-malka-penn-award-recognizes-the-teacher-of-nomad-land-and-coming-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2026\/06\/2026-malka-penn-award-recognizes-the-teacher-of-nomad-land-and-coming-home\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Malka Penn Award Recognizes \u2018The Teacher of Nomad Land\u2019 and \u2018Coming Home\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

A novel and a picture book have been selected as the two recipients of the 2026 Malka Penn Award for Human Rights in Children\u2019s Literature, presented by UConn\u2019s Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This year\u2019s winning novel is The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story<\/em><\/a> by Daniel Nayeri<\/a> and published by Levine Querido.<\/p>\n

Set in 1941, The Teacher of Nomad Land<\/em> tells the story of two orphaned siblings who set out on a perilous journey across Iran \u2013 a neutral country occupied by British forces on one side and Soviet forces on the other \u2013 in a race for survival set against the backdrop of World War II.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s winning picture book is Coming Home: A Hopi Resistance Story<\/em><\/a> by Mavasta Honyouti<\/a> and published by Levine Querido.<\/p>\n

In Coming Home<\/em>, master Hopi woodcarver Honyouti shares the story of his grandfather\u2019s experience at a residential boarding school and how he returned home to pass their traditions down to future generations. Written in both English and Hopi, the book features 16 original painted wood carvings and a testament to one man rising above a painful piece of history to keep his culture alive.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am thrilled for The Teacher of Nomad Land<\/em> to be a part of the Malka Penn Award legacy of books that cherish human stories,\u201d says Nayeri, \u201cand ask the questions that young readers might consider for years to come. In the case of my book, one of those questions might be: \u2018No matter our circumstances, haven\u2019t we all been given something worth sharing with the world?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am blessed that Coming Home: A Hopi Resistance Story<\/em> has been selected for the 2026 Malka Penn Award for Human Rights in Children\u2019s Literature,\u201d says Honyouti. \u201cThank you for allowing my kwa\u2019a\u2019s story of resilience to continue to be shared with larger audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Malka Penn Award<\/a> is given to the authors of outstanding children\u2019s books addressing human rights issues or themes, such as discrimination, equity, poverty, justice, war, peace, slavery, or freedom.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year\u2019s Malka Penn Award is especially meaningful, as it reflects the culmination of more than two years of dedicated work and hundreds of volunteer hours from a deeply committed selection committee,\u201d says Nana Amos, the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute\u2019s director of community outreach and engagement and co-director of the Democracy and Dialogues Initiative who has directed the Malka Penn Award since its inception. \u201cThat extraordinary level of care and collective effort is evident in the strength and integrity of the books we are honored to recognize.\u201d<\/p>\n

For James Waller, director of the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute, \u201cChildren\u2019s literature has a unique power to help young readers understand the world beyond their own experiences.\u00a0 Through books, children can explore themes of justice, compassion, resilience, and human dignity in ways that are deeply personal and lasting. The Malka Penn Award honors books that not only tell compelling stories, but also encourage empathy, critical thinking, and a deeper commitment to human rights.\u201d<\/p>\n

Named in honor of author Michele Palmer \u2013 who writes under the pseudonym Malka Penn \u2013 the award recognizes works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, memoir, or biography written for children from preschool to high school. Special consideration is given to stories about individuals who have been affected by social injustices and who, by confronting those injustices, have made a difference in their lives or the lives of others.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe winners of this year\u2019s Malka Penn Award are both outstanding stories about the effects of war and discrimination on children,\u201d says Palmer. \u201cMoreover, they\u2019re testaments to the power of language in preserving identity and resolving differences.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to Teacher of Nomad Land<\/em> and Coming Home<\/em>, the Malka Penn Award Committee has recognized the following selections as its 2026 Honor Books:<\/p>\n