Abstract <p>This article details a qualitative media analysis of 20 books that won the Etisalat Award from 2009–2020 compared to 9 picturebooks that won the Middle East Book Award from 2006–2023. The Etisalat Award, renamed the International Prize for Arabic Children's Literature in 2025, was established in 2009 by the United Arab Emirates Council on Books for Young People, the national branch of the International Council on Books for Young People. Restructured in 2013 to honor the best text and best illustrated books created for children, birth to 14 years old, the Etisalat Award highlights the artistic productions created by authors, illustrators, and publishers. Designed to promote Arabic books to children and families, creators are incentivized through the award process to publish high-quality children's books. The Middle East Outreach Council's Middle East Book Award in the United States is designed to honor books for children and young adults that help promote a better understanding of the Middle East. Thematic analysis revealed a need for Etisalat award-winning books (a) to emphasize children's perspectives to engage children in the plot sequence, and (b) to continue to raise the bar of children's book publishing standards through child-centric works of art.</p>