2026
Children's & YA Prize Winner

Fidan Meikle is an Azerbaijani-British writer, poet, and linguist based in Scotland. She creates stories and poems that resonate with readers of all ages, delving into themes of empathy, belonging, and the refugee experience. Her debut middle-grade novel, My Name Is Samim, was included in the 2026 Read for Empathy Collection and has been shortlisted for several awards, including the Jhalak Children's & YA Prize, the FCBG Award, the Sheffield Book Award, the Literally Brilliant Book Award, the Hampshire Book Award, and the Cumbria Schools Secondary Spellbinding Award 2026. My Name Is Samim and its sequel, My Name Is Zayn, are inspired by the real-life experiences of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in the UK. Fidan lives in West Lothian, Scotland.