Debut title wins best English language title in the children’s fiction category.
The fantasy adventure title Alak in the Hinterland has emerged as a winner at the National Library of Malaysia (PNM) Book Awards 2025/2026.
The debut title in the Alak series was recognized for its excellence in the Children’s Fiction (English) category, placing it among the nation’s most impactful literary contributions.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, the Deputy Minister of National Unity Yuneswaran Ramaraj says the award is the highest platform to recognise quality publications in Malaysia.
The PNM Book Award honours high-quality local works that make a meaningful impact on society by advancing national knowledge, intellectual discourse, and the overall development of civilization, he says.
“Beyond recognizing the excellence of authors and publishers, these awards act as a catalyst for producing creative, innovative, and high-quality works that can compete at the national level and globally.”
Yuneswaran also presented the award to Emila Yusof, who won the Children’s Fiction category for Malay language with her book title Pohon Kenangan.
Wo De VR Shi Jie by Zuozhe Chen Xiaomin and Uyang Malai: Iragasiyangalum Unmaigalum by Balamurugan Kesavan won the category for Chinese and Tamil language, respectively.
The PNM Book Awards recognises books as a vital medium for uniting society, spreading knowledge and strengthening national values and identity.
It was organised as one of the main events to celebrate the World Book and Copyright Day in Malaysia, which falls on 23 April each year since 1995.
The celebration by Unesco promotes reading, publishing, copyright protection and also honours authors, books, and creativity while fostering cultural dialogue.
The worldwide celebration focuses on books as bridges between cultures and generations.
The date marks the birth or death of renowned authors such as William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes, and Vladimir Nabokov.
