Notaila Rashed; the Egyptian Children’s Author Behind Today’s Google Doodle
Today’s special Google Doodle, illustrated by Jordanian-American artist Sara Alfageeh, featured the beautiful Egyptian children’s author, Notaila Rashed. Famously known as “Mama Lobna”, this pioneering children’s author devoted her whole life to promoting children’s literature across the Arab world, and helped children in Egypt, and worldwide, learn about ancient and modern Egypt.
Stemming from her love for kids, she contributed to Egypt’s most-loved children’s magazine, “Samir”, from its release in 1956 up until 2002, and founded a children’s book section at Dar El-Hilal Publishing House in Cairo. The first children’s film by the Egyptian National Council of Culture was based on her story entitled “The Doll”, from her most popular two-part book called “The Diary of Yasser Family”.
In addition to writing her first five children’s stories while studying at Cairo University, she later translated a number of classics into Arabic, like “The Emperor’s New Clothes” and “Black Beauty”.
She received several awards to honor her contribution to Egyptian literature, including the State Award for Children’s Literature, the State Award for Children’s Journalism, and the Medal of the Council of the Ministry of Culture.
Today marks what would have been her 86th birthday; she passed away in 2012.
