Marina Michaelidou-Kadi is a children’s book author and animal advocate living in Cyprus. With a background in psychology (BA) and environmental policy and management (MPA, PhD), she is known for writing stories that cultivate empathy and environmental consciousness. Her work has been honored with multiple awards, including the national literature award for young children, the Peter Pan Prize of Sweden, selection for the “IBBY Honor List” of the International Board on Books for Young People, and selection for the White Ravens Catalogue of the International Youth Library of Munich.

In her books we meet children of today’s world who face various social and environmental challenges, highlighting that these global issues concern each one of us. Her stories touch on themes of migration and uprooting, loneliness and loss, ecological destruction, and animal exploitation. 

Awards and distinctions

• International Limassol Book Fair Award 2023
• The Golden List of Elniplex – Two kind words and a smile (2021).
• White Ravens – The yellow blanket of happiness (2019).
  
• National literature award for young children – White uniform (2018).
• White Ravens – Children’s dreams (2017).
• IBBY Honor List – Nicolas and Elli (2016).
• Peter Pan Prize of IBBY Sewden – Sabel’s red dress (2016).
• White Ravens – Sabel’s red dress (2014).
• National literature award for young children – Nicolas and Elli (2013).
• Children’s book award by the Cyprus Bibliographical Society – Semeli’s smile (2011).
• Shortlisted for the Greek national children’s book awards – Children’s dreams (2017).
• Shortlisted for the Cyprus national literature awards for young children: Two kind words and a smile (2021), The yellow blanket of happiness (2019), Waiting for the rain (2018), Sabel’s red dress (2015), Seneli’s smile (2012), Sophia and the small forest (2011).
• Shortlisted for the Greek IBBY picture book awards: Peter’s dream (2016), Sabel’s red dress (2015), Nicolas and Elli (2013).