Maria Lluïsa Solà i Llopis (Barcelona, 1918-1994), was a librarian and author of books for children and young people.

She studied in various disciplines combining art and literature, at the Municipal Conservatory of Barcelona, at La Llotja School of Art and Design and, later, at the Librarians School, after which she joined the staff of the Library of Catalonia. Her connections with the domains of literature and promotion of culture greatly influenced her future career, not only as a librarian but also as a writer.

In the 1960s, she began to write for the magazine Cavall Fort, where she published stories for children and young people. In her clear, straightforward style, she explored the everyday situations of young people, among them summer holiday adventures, the first challenges at school, and the importance or difficulty of groups of friends. In 1972, her novel Anna was awarded the Josep Maria Folch i Torres Prize, which situated her as one of the leading writers of literature for children and young people.

In the 1980s and 1990s, she published several books, including Jo, més dues... fan cinc! (1981), Un estiu a Rocagrossa (1983), Adéu Serena (1987), and Un fantasma anomenat... (1994), all of which continued to explore the themes she had begun to address in Anna.

Solà i Llopis stands out for her ability to write about situations that are recognisable for young people, with simple exploits that conceal conflicts that are typical of this stage of life.

She was an honorary member of the Associació d’Escriptors en Llengua Catalana (Association of Catalan Language Writers – AELC).

Web page: Álvaro Muñoz Hernández for AELC.
Cover photograph: AELC.
Translation: Julie Wark.