The National Book Council has honoured the memory of Arthur Gruppetta, a towering figure in Malta’s book industry, who passed away earlier today.
Born in Valletta in 1944, Arthur began his professional life as a teacher before taking over the family business and assuming leadership of Merlin Library, founded by his parents in 1964 in Blata l-Bajda. Through his relentless work and vision, Merlin became synonymous with affordable English-language children’s books. Over time, Merlin also became the first publisher in Malta to release Ladybird books in Maltese – the first full-colour books of their kind available locally.
Arthur went on to achieve another significant milestone in Maltese publishing the release of the first children’s book in Maltese in 1971, Fra Mudest by Charles Casha, a beloved classic that remains in print today through multiple editions.
Thanks to Merlin’s publications, Arthur provided a platform for numerous authors who would later become giants of Maltese children’s literature-most notably Trevor Żahra, who published his first book, L-Għar tax-Xelter, with Merlin in 1973. Another major turning point in Arthur’s career came when Merlin began publishing school textbooks for primary and secondary students, helping to modernise and support the teaching of the Maltese language and literature.
In recognition of his contributions to the publishing sector, Arthur was awarded the Medal for Service to the Republic in 2018.
Arthur’s son, Chris Gruppetta, has served as Director of Publishing at Merlin Publishers since 2000. In an online post, Chris announced his father’s passing with heartfelt words: “Today at Merlin we lost our heart. Arthur is Merlin-he created the first Merlin books so many years ago, never stopped believing in the Maltese book even when he faced every headwind imaginable, and kept pushing us forward until his last breath. Things will not be the same without him.”
Klabb Kotba Maltin also issued a statement, describing Arthur as “a colleague, a gentleman, and a longtime friend,” while the HELA foundation praised his invaluable work in providing high-quality children’s books and for the international collaborations he forged.
Award-winning author Immanuel Mifsud paid tribute to Arthur’s contributions with a touching message:
“I salute a personality who played a major role in our literary history. Mr Gruppetta, who left us today, founded Merlin Publishers and thanks to him, many children rejoiced as they met Fra Mudest, Nannu Ċens, the children exploring the air-raid shelter, and many other characters. For this, we remain grateful to him and to the authors he published.”
The National Book Council extends its heartfelt condolences to Arthur’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.
PEN Malta also paid tribute to the memory of Arthur Gruppetta (1944-2025), a figure “who played a major role in Malta’s literary history”.
Gruppetta established Merlin Publishers, which grew from a small bookshop into a publisher of many writers in Malta, the group said.