Roberta Bajada
Roberta Bajada (born 7 June 1985) is a Maltese writer of children's and young adult fiction, writing in the Maltese language.[1]
Writing
[edit]Bajada published an English-language book of short stories, What?! Another Book of Stories? in 2014, as part of a Malta Union of Teachers project to encourage children to read in schools.[2]
Her novel, Arloġġ u Tila [Clock and Canvas] (2016), is an adventure story involving museums and 15th-century art.[3] Termini u Kundizzjonijiet Japplikaw [Terms and conditions apply] (2017) concerns a young boy helping an elderly ghost to qualify for admission to heaven, and won the national Young Adult Literature award.[4] Shadow Woods (2024) takes its title from the abandoned theme park which its central character had visited in his childhood.[5]
Bajada has said that her favourite book written in the Maltese language is Trevor Żahra's Is-Seba' Tronġiet Mewwija [The Seven Wonders of the World], which inspired her to become a writer.[6]
Bajada was one of the judges for the 2023 Novels for Youth Literacy Contest, organised by Malta's National Book Council and Aġenzija Żgħażagħ.[7]
Awards and honours
[edit]Bajada won the award for "Best emerging author" in the 2017 Maltese National Book Prize awards.[8]
Personal life
[edit]Bajada was born on 7 June 1985 in St. Julian's, Malta. She has undertaken postgraduate studies on the topic of "the relationship between art movements and literary texts in the Victorian and modern periods", [3] and is a secondary-school teacher.[1]
Selected publications
[edit]- Bajada, Roberta (2012). Il-Ħolma tan-Nannu Ġuż [Grandpa Ġuż's Dream]. Kotba Sagħtar.[9]
- Bajada, Roberta (2014). What! Another Book of Stories?. Fondazzjoni Sagħtar. ISBN 9789990964301.[10]
- Bajada, Roberta (2016). Arloġġ u Tila [Clock and Canvas]. Merlin. ISBN 9789990915402.
- Bajada, Roberta (2017). Termini u Kundizzjonijiet Japplikaw [Terms and Conditions Apply]. Merlin. ISBN 9789990916409.
- Bajada, Roberta (2019). Arlekkin Isfar [Yellow Harlequin]. Merlin. ISBN 9789990918427.
- Bajada, Roberta (2024). Shadow Woods (in Maltese). Merlin. ISBN 9789918240548.
References
[edit]- ^ a b Tanti, Noel. "Roberta Bajada". HELA. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
- ^ "MUT Publications launches three new story books for children". Gozo News. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
- ^ a b "'Arlogg u Tila', a new children's book". The Malta Independent. 7 March 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
- ^ "Termini u Kundizzjonijiet Japplikaw". The Malta Independent. 6 April 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
- ^ "Shadow Woods". Ktieb.org.mt (in Maltese). Retrieved 1 September 2025.
- ^ Fenech, Iggy (17 July 2023). "'The whole book is a gem'". Times of Malta: Times2. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
- ^ "Winner of 2023 Youth Literacy Contest announced, 2024 edition of contest launched". www.independent.com.mt. 13 January 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
- ^ "Winners of 2017 Book Prize awards". Josanne Cassar. 9 December 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
- ^ "Il-Ħolma tan-Nannu Ġuż (Roberta Bajada)". Fondazzjoni Saghtar. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
- ^ "What?! Another Book of Stories? (Roberta Bajada)". Fondazzjoni Saghtar. Retrieved 1 September 2025.