Alfredo Gómez Cerdá: Author–Spain

Alfredo Gómez Cerdá was born in a place in Madrid which, like so many other things, no longer exists. Already from a very young age, he felt a powerful attraction towards literature, an attraction that later in life made him take a degree in Spanish Philology, but also, and more importantly, led him to become a writer. When he started writing, he alternated prose fiction with dramatic works. His plays were performed on stage by amateur acting groups, of which Alfredo was also a member. However, it did not take him long to discover children's and young adults' literature, a new path, which enthralled him.

Goméz has published around one hundred and twenty books—from short stories to novels—written for all ages and using a variety of registers, moving with ease between reality and fantasy, between action and social criticism, between humor and tenderness. As a result, and because of the wide range of subjects he addresses, Alfredo Gómez Cerdá is an author who is difficult to pigeonhole. For each new book, he always constructs a new approach, thereby setting himself a fresh challenge.

Goméz formed part of a group of writers who in the 1980s, despite still being very young, contributed to the renewal and consolidation of Spanish children's and young adults' literature.

His writing style is concise, clear, captivating, and powerful. As he likes to say, his work is a combination of two viewpoints: one gazing outward, nourished by the world in which we live, and the other gazing inward, delving into the complexity of human beings and their feelings. Moreover, he maintains the criteria of constantly asking himself questions, inside and outside his books.

The literary work of Alfredo Gómez Cerdá has been recognized with the most prestigious awards in Spain. He has also won several of the most famous prizes awarded by Spanish publishing houses: Altea, El Barco de Vapor, Gran Angular, Fray Luis de León, and Ala Delta. His work has also merited recognition abroad with the Il Paese dei Bambini in Italy and, on two occasions, been included in the White Ravens catalog in Germany.

Many of his books have had several editions since their publication, some reaching over fifty—such as Las palabras mágicas (The Magic Words), his first published work, Apareció en mi ventana (He appeared at my Window), Amalia, Amelia y Emilia (Amalia, Amelia and Emilia), La gota de lluvia (the Raindrop), Barro de Medellín (Mud of Medellín), and El rostro de la sombra (The Face of Darkness).

His books have been published in France, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Denmark, Korea, Turkey, China, Japan, the United States of America, Canada, and in many Spanish-speaking countries.

Goméz is quite sure that he will stop writing when he reaches the age of one hundred and thirty-seven, as he believes it is not good to write for one's entire life. After that, he has other plans.