The writer and storyteller Maha Naji Salah died on Monday in her home in Sanaa, which is under the control of the Houthis, amid mysterious circumstances.

A private source reported that her family requested an autopsy, without details.

Maha Salah is considered one of the most prominent figures of children's literature in Yemen. She played a prominent role in enriching the cultural scene, while all eyes are on uncovering the mystery of her sudden departure.

A busy literary career

Maha began writing at an early age. Her talent appeared during high school, before she continued her literary activity when she joined Sana’a University, where she founded, with a group of students, a literary publication called “Bihar,” which later developed into a general institutional cultural project. 2003.

Maha was one of the most prominent names in children's literature, and she left a diverse literary legacy that included joint and individual publications. 

Among her notable works are:

“Manar and Omnia at the Book Fair” (2008), a text directed at children, published by the Sfax Children’s Book Fair Association in Tunisia.

“The details took me in” (2010), a collection of texts published by Azmana Publishing House in Jordan.

"How do I sleep without a story?" (2014), a text for children about Dar Al-Hadayek in Beirut.

“The Tree Bears Biscuits” (2015), a children’s play published by the Ibhar Foundation for Childhood and Creativity in Sana’a.

“Shadha Lines” (2015), a children’s text published by Dar El Banan in Beirut.

Achievements and awards

Maha won first place in the short story competition at Sana'a University in 1999, and her story “Shatha Lines” was chosen among the ten best texts directed to children in the “Cyslak” competition.

With her creativity directed at children, Maha founded a literary school concerned with details that stimulate the imagination and express childhood dreams, leaving an unforgettable mark on Yemeni and Arab children’s literature.

Her departure represents a huge loss to literature, amid the difficult circumstances that Yemen is going through, while her achievements remain a testament to the role of Yemeni women despite the challenges.