Tonight, Queen Letizia delivered the Gran Angular Award and El Barco de Vapor Award for Children Literature in Madrid.

This year’s winners are respectively “El mar detrás” by Ginés Sánchez Muñoz and “Jack-Mullet-de-los-Siete-Mares” by Cristina Fernández.

In her speech, Queen Letizia said: “I remember the distinction that the poet and essayist Pedro Salinas made between reader and reader. To the first, he attributed the ability to read pragmatically, but without interpretation or imaginative appropriation. And to the second, he granted the pure pleasure of reading for invincible love of the book, with determination to interpret, give context and create a world of his own.”

She continued: “Well, if a 9-year-old reader looks at Jack Mullet de los Siete Mares, by Cristina Fernández, they will understand certain aspects of friendship that perhaps they had not noticed. […]And if a 15-year-old reader willingly opens El mar detrás by Ginés Sánchez, and for half an hour, let's say, stops using a social network, she will feel the hope and anguish of Isata and Dibra, two girls her age who are refugees.”

Queen Letizia wore a new Maria Barragan outfit (with thanks to Nuria) with her Magrit pumps and clutch. She paired the outfit with gold earrings and her Karen Hallam ring. She also wore her Felipe Varela white coat.