Ricard Ruiz Garzón wins the Guillem Cifre de Colonya prize
The Barcelona-based writer wins the award with a young adult novel set in Scotland that combines humor, fantasy, and reflections on family
PalmaThe Barcelona writer Ricard Ruiz Garzón has been proclaimed winner of the XLV Guillem Cifre de Colonya Children's and Youth Narrative Award 2026 for the work Trenta pares vaig tenir (i encara me'n queden dos), a novel aimed at readers between 8 and 14 years old that combines humor, fantasy, and reflection on the family.
The story follows the steps of Bruna, an adolescent who travels to Scotland with her parents during the summer holidays. The trip seems like a real torture to her: she doesn't understand the language, she hates the rain, and she just wants to be with her friends. The discovery of a mysterious red-haired young woman, a raven, and some ancient spirals push her to make a wish: to change parents. From here, the protagonist finds herself immersed in a succession of different families that completely transform her reality.
According to the award organizers, the work revisits elements of traditional tales and time loop narratives, with references to titles such as Groundhog Day and Spirited Away, by Hayao Miyazaki. Through fantasy, the novel raises questions related to family identity, immediate gratification consumerism, and the need to go beyond first impressions.
An established author of fantasy literature
Born in Barcelona in 1973, Ricard Ruiz Garzón is a writer, professor at the Escola d'Escriptura of the Ateneu Barcelonès, and one of the prominent figures in contemporary Catalan fantastic literature. He is also the creator and advisor for Festival 42 in Barcelona, dedicated to fantastic genres.
Throughout his career, he has published around twenty books and has been recognized with awards such as the Ramon Muntaner prize, Edebé, Droide and Druida, and Ictineu. Among his works are Les veus del laberint, Herba negra, Mary Shelley i el Monstre de Frankenstein, Mångata, and Janowitz. Additionally, for over twenty years, he worked in cultural journalism for media outlets such as TV3, El País, El Periódico, BTV, RAC1, and Time Out.
More than four decades promoting children's literature in Catalan
The Guillem Cifre de Colonya award, sponsored by the Guillem Cifre de Colonya Foundation with the support of Editorial Barcanova, is endowed with 7,000 euros and recognizes novels in the Catalan language intended for children and young people.
In this edition, 21 original works from various parts of the Catalan Countries have been submitted. The jury was composed of writers Pere Martí and Miquel Rayó, and editors Sara Moyano and Francisca Mas.
Since its creation in 1981, the award has established itself as one of the benchmarks for children's and young people's literature in Catalan. Over forty-five editions, it has recognized authors such as Joaquim Carbó, Josep Francesc Delgado, Lolita Bosch, Rosa Maria Colom, Pere Morey, Miquel Rayó, Montse Homs, Xavier Margenat, and Carlota Gurt, among many others. Many of the award-winning works have become part of the regular readings in schools and institutes in Catalan-speaking territories.