TEHRAN -- Five Iranian voices in picture have broken through the noise to claim their place among the 69 finalists of the 2025 Golden Pinwheel Award, a prestigious international competition held at the Shanghai Children’s Book Fair. 
This isn’t just another contest—it’s where the pulse of global children’s illustration beats strongest.
Among them are Parvin Heydari-Zadeh, Mojdeh Kian-Zadeh, Bahareh Sa’adatmandi, Maryam Mahmoudi-Moghadam, and Nejla Mahdavi-Ashraf.
 The latter’s work on A Sun in the Turkmen Desert, published by Iran’s Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, stands out as a bold declaration of Iranian artistic vitality in a world hungry for fresh, unvarnished stories.
Nearly 3,000 entries poured in from 78 countries, a testament to the global hunger for images that speak across languages and borders. A jury of eight, from China to Germany, sifted through the deluge to spotlight 50 works in publishing and 19 commercial projects, forging a path through an ocean of creativity.
Since its inception in 2015, the Golden Pinwheel has been more than an award—it’s a lifeline for emerging illustrators seeking recognition on a global stage. It’s a space where stories come alive through line and color, where the young and unseen can shape the future of narrative art.
From November 14 to 16, these finalists’ works will be displayed at the Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair. Final winners will soon be named, including two grand prizes and special distinctions, promising to send ripples far beyond the gallery walls.