Acclaimed Israeli Children's Author Yehuda Atlas Dies at 89

Yehuda Atlas, a giant of Israeli children's literature, passed away on Thursday at the age of 89. The announcement was made by Ichilov Medical Center. Atlas was celebrated as a prolific writer, poet, translator, and editor, best known for his beloved "And This Child Is Me" book series.

His family described him as an "eternal child" who dedicated his life to helping others. They noted his work as an editor, children's author, and translator, and highlighted his recent focus on writing about at-risk youth out of a sense of mission.

Born in 1937 in the moshav Ein Iron, Atlas had a distinguished career in Israeli media. He edited the youth magazine 'BaMachane Gadna' and served as deputy editor of 'Yedioth Ahronoth's' '7 Yamin' supplement, where he wrote the 'Big Kid' column for eight years, focusing on children's books and their authors.

Atlas authored numerous books throughout his career. His "And This Child Is Me" series, comprising five books, was particularly popular and was also adapted into a music album. His literary achievements were recognized with several awards, including the 2011 Award for Literary Creation for Translators, the 2013 Steimatzky Prize, and the Prime Minister's Prize for Hebrew Writers in the same year.

In his later years, Atlas dedicated his writing to the subject of at-risk youth.