Clare Azzopardi (5 July 1977) is a Maltese author who writes for both adults and younger readers.
Born in St. Julian's, Malta, she eventually went on to study at the University of Malta and then received a master's degree in literacy from the University of Sheffield. She is the head of Department of Maltese at G. F. Abela Junior College.[1][2]
Azzopardi’s poetry and short stories, written in Maltese, have appeared in various anthologies. Her work has appeared in translation in various literary periodicals, including In Focus, Transcript, Words without Borders, West 47, Lettre International (Hungary) and Kulturas Forms.
In 2005, Azzopardi published Others, Across, two short stories translated into English, and, in 2006, a collection of short stories in Maltese, Il-Linja l-Ħadra ("The Green Line"). She has also written plays, including In-Nisa Jafu Kif, Pretty Lisa and L-Interdett Taħt is-Sodda which was published in French (Éditions Théatrales) and in Arabic (I-ACT) .[3] She has participated in various literary festivals including the Jaipur Literature Festival[4] and the vRIsak festival in Rijeka.[5]
In 2011 and 2012 she was nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2011 and 2012.[6][7] In 2015 and 2016 her children's books Lupu Lupettu Kull Kulur[8] and Mingu received the Terramaxka Book Prize.[9]
She is also the recipient of 10 National Book Prize for Literature awards: Il-Linja l-Ħadra (2006),[10] L-Interdett taħt is-Sodda (2012),[11] Kulħadd ħalla isem warajh (2015),[12] Il-Każ Kważi Kollu tal-Aħwa De Molizz (2010),[13] Ir-Re Pankrazju jagħlaq mitt sena (2010), Jake Cassar (2015), Meta l-Milied ma Ġiex (2010),[14] Kidane (2012),[15] Il-Qtates ta' max-Xatt (2016) and Teresa (2017).[16]
In 2021, Azzoppardi won a Terramaxka Prize for best translated work, for the book Ors fl-Ispazju.[17]