Renowned Israeli Children's Author Yehuda Atlas Dies at 89

Yehuda Atlas, a prominent Israeli children's author, poet, and translator, has passed away at the age of 89. He died at Ichilov Hospital, and his family announced his death, remembering him as "an eternal child" who was driven by compassion and a desire to help.

Atlas was best known for his popular "And This Child, I" series, which began in 1977. The books, illustrated by Dani Kerman, explored children's fears, grievances, jealousy, and relationships with parents from a child's perspective. The series, which includes five books, received the Ze'ev Prize for children's and youth literature and was adapted for theater and music.

Beyond his famous series, Atlas was a dedicated scholar of children's literature, authoring a three-volume work on international children's authors. He also translated numerous children's books into Hebrew, considering translation a crucial part of his work. In recent years, he focused on writing about at-risk youth, aiming to create stories that would help children articulate their experiences, including a 2021 book addressing child abuse and sexual violence.

Born in 1937 in Moshav Ein Iron, Atlas had a diverse career that included military service in the Golani Brigade, work as an educator, and journalism. He contributed to youth publications and major newspapers like "Yedioth Ahronoth," where he hosted a column on children's literature. He received multiple literary awards throughout his career, including the Prime Minister's Prize and a lifetime achievement award for his contributions to children's literature in 2020. He was the father of three sons.