Selection of Czech Books for Children and Young People 2014/2015

Transcription

Selection of Czech Books for Children
and Young People 2014/2015
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INTRODUCTION
Believe it or not, almost half a century ago Czech counted among the seven most
often translated languages in the field of literature for children and young people
in Europe. It surpassed the more voluminous Polish culture, as well as the restrained Russian one. Looking back those fifty years, one can only speculate to
what extent this success – reflected in the commendation of several Czech authors with the German Prize for Children’s Literature – stemmed from the intellectual bustle of the sixties, culminating in the brief upsurge of the Prague Spring,
and how much it was influenced by the solidarity of European colleagues with
the violent suppression of the liberation process. Or could it be that literature for
youngest readers was the only platform available to some highly adept but proscribed writers? Should a lion’s share of this success be attributed to the rising
star of Zdeněk Burian, whose illustrations featured in the outstandingly novel
books on prehistory? Or to put it in more general terms: was it the charmingly
original approach to the genre of art-based education, whose Czech advocates,
under the influence of Comenius’ methodology, showed both skill and ingenuity
that were viewed with unconcealed admiration by their foreign competitors?
Whatever the case may have been, political “normalisation” had soon settled in, followed by “real socialism”. Later, “planned economy” was transformed
to a free market one and took the book market with it, exploring several blind alleys along the way. Times are changing fast, our lives adopt an ever-increasing
pace and generations of writers oscillate between originality and pragmatism.
On top of that, children’s interests, feelings, worries and dreams are also shifting
and in this situation the renown of Czech authors – most of them illustrators –
survives mostly in the category of self-illustrated books by formerly exiled au-
thors. Today, twenty six years after our return to the family of European democracies, we also experience the pressure of English-language pop-culture, which
is overwhelming in comparison to the late 1960s, not least in children’s literary
genres. At the same time, the literary self-confidence of Europe’s less populous
nations tends to be so small that it verges on resignation. What can be done
about that? Should we start writing in English? Or wait for the Germans and the
Dutch to take notice, as it is usually their publishing sieve through which our
best new books find their way to the European context?
This is the third time we offer – under the banner of the Association of
Czech Booksellers and Publishers and in co-operation with the Czech Section of
the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) – a selection of the
best original books for children and young people published within the last sixteen months. While the first catalogue, the 2012/2013 Best Children’s Books,
was distributed in electronic version only, last year’s version was brought out in
print, as is the current volume, which is also available for discussion on the social network Facebook. Some public libraries use this catalogue to inform the
public about the indispensable influence of quality reading on the constitution of
a child’s personality and its role in providing children with a better starting position in our advanced information age. Reaching this position, however, must
also be the objective of those who strive to attract the young readers’ attention.
Encouraged by the response of booksellers, parents, grandparents, as well as
teachers, librarians and other professional public, we decided to produce a separate English-language version of our catalogue this year. In the nearest future
we also plan to make a selection from all the selections published thus far, in or-
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der to actively acquaint partners from abroad with the most outstanding personalities and noteworthy achievements.
Indeed, the world has changed and so have its children. As Mark Twain
once remarked in his brilliant travel writings: “History does not repeat itself, but
it does rhyme”. We are not the pack of malingerers that field doctor Grünstein in
Hašek’s Good Soldier Schweik considered us to be. The 36 titles in this year’s
catalogue prove that we can laugh with the necessary adroitness and that we
know how to make fun of our own little weaknesses. We acknowledge the fact
that our world is overburdened with technologies and far from idyllic. We are capable of negotiating some remarkable projects with our Slovak partners.
Hopefully, Czech resourcefulness has not yet petrified into a myth, and we have
had a very good harvest of truly outstanding young poets. Although poetry by its
very nature often resists attempts at translation, our European companions may
surely be interested in the answers we propose to today’s escape into virtual reality, deliberate isolation and “daft mood” (to quote Václav Havel), which humanity finds so exhausting.
Even a small nation’s culture can occupy the seventh place in Europe, if
not better, when its youngest generation – not burdened by the brunt of history –
blazes a trail, just like it did back in the 1960s and the late 1980s. All it needs now
is for us to extend our helping hand. This hand should come from the heart, deep
inside of which we maybe realise that what we achieved back then was nothing
more and nothing less than getting out of our individual shells and straightening
our bent backs.
Jana Čeňková & Petr Matoušek
4
Ivan Binar
Illustrated by Andrea Tachezy
BOŘIVOJ A BLECHA FLÓ /
BALTHILD AND FLOH THE FLEA
Prague, Albatros 2014, 40 pages
ISBN 978-80-00-03501-7
This title – perfectly suited for first-time readers – opens with the restless and
“exceedingly intelligent” flea called Floh inhabiting little Balthild’s ear. The boy
suffers much ridicule on behalf of his name, but what can he do – it is, after all,
a beautiful family name with a thousand-year tradition. The little fidgety creature advises the boy against joining his dad, whose turn it is in the boy’s alternate
care, and to embark on a journey around the world, made even more exciting by
the bold decision to go via Pomykov rather than Kralupy. When in the end the
two wanderers part ways again, readers can relax, knowing that their peer is
headed back home. The story, written with zeal and hyperbole, is supported by
Andrea Tachezy’s drawings, winning the artist her second Golden Ribbon award.
Ivan Binar (1942), graduated from the
Institute of Pedagogy in Ostrava and
briefly worked as a teacher. In the
“normalisation” period of communist rule
he changed many jobs. In the late 1970s
he went into German exile and worked for
Radio Free Europe. His very debut was
dedicated to children (Knížka o tom, jak
pan Bouda s cirkusem se světem loudá
/Book about Mr. Perkins at the Circus/,
1969; Václav Beránek’s illustrations).
After his return in the mid-nineties he
published several books of children’s
stories, e.g. S kouzelníkem do světa
/Magician’s Travels/ (1997), Kilo jablek
pro krále /Pound of Apples for the King/
(2003), Bibiana píská na prsty /Bibiana’s
Finger-Whistles/ (2009). Taking up the
pre-war tradition of original fairy tales, he
often modifies original folklore material
using linguistic humour and nonsensical
palaver.
Age 6+
Andrea Tachezy (1966) studied at the
textile and alternative techniques studio
and animated film studio of the Prague
VŠUP. She focuses on free-form art and
book illustration and co-operates with the
Sluníčko magazine. Her fragile works for
non-readers and reading beginners make
use of combined technique with dominant
use of collage, e.g. in Zuzana Kovaříková’s
books Za zvířátky do lesa /Animals of the
Forest/ (2012) and Za zvířátky k vodě
/Animals of Lakes and Rivers/ (2013) or
Helena Skálová’s Ježíšek /Baby Jesus/
(2011). Tachezy is last year’s Golden
Ribbon laureate for her accompaniment
to poet Robin Král’s three-dimensional
folding book Ferdinande! /Oh,
Ferdinand!/.
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Petra Braunová
Illustrated by Nikkarin
3333 KM K JAKUBOVI /
3333 KM TILL JAMES
ISBN 978-80-00-03695-3
According to the book’s blurb, the novel – a description of one ground-breaking
pilgrimage to St. James’ town of Santiago de Compostela – is based on authentic diary entries of a certain Mirek Korbel. This is not, however, an ordinary travel journal chronicling a trip undertaken by devout believers and seekers of spiritual encouragement (or simply adventure) alike. For a fifteen-year-old boy
named Mirek, who leads a comfy pampered existence with his divorced mum
and his computer, the journey turns into a veritable trial, as he travels on bike
with his dad, whom he hardly knows. Besides having to prove his physical capabilities, he will also have to re-evaluate his relationship with his loved ones, and,
most importantly of all, learn to understand himself. The book’s intelligent firstperson narrative addresses adolescent readers, while also delivering a lesson to
their parents.
Age 12+
Petra Braunová (1967) worked in
various professions, including (after
1989) as an au-pair in francophone
families. She made use of this experience
in her acclaimed novel for young readers
Česká služka aneb Byla jsem au-pair
/The Czech Housemaid or How I Was an
Au-pair/ (2004). Authentic storytelling is
also typical for her books for younger
children Rošťák Oliver /Little Rascal
Oliver/ (2003), Rošťák Oliver a Marica
čarodějka /Little Rascal Oliver and
Marica the Witch/ (2013), Kuba nechce
číst /Jamie Won’t Read/ (2006), Kuba
nechce spát /Jamie Won’t Sleep/ (2013)
and others. The story of Ema a kouzelná
kniha /Emma and the Magic Book/
(2010) follows in the tradition of prose
featuring an orphaned hero, introducing
fantastic motifs into the protagonist’s
tale.
Nikkarin (1987), real name Michal
Menšík, is a self-taught artist. He draws
and writes his original comic books and
has recently emerged as noteworthy
illustrator of books and magazines for
young people, e.g. Alena Ježková’s Dračí
polévka /Dragon Soup/ (2011) or the
short-story anthology Závrať /Vertigo/
(2013). His published albums include
130 – Odysea /130 – Odyssey/ (2009)
and 130 – Hodní, zlí a oškliví /130 –
Good, Bad and Ugly/ (2010). He is also
featured in the comic-book album Ještě
jsme ve válce /Still at War/ (2011),
describing authentic fates of Nazi and
communist regimes’ victims in former
Czechoslovakia.
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Lenka Brodecká
Illustrated by Tereza Ščerbová
HLEDÁ SE HVĚZDA /
THE SEARCH FOR A STAR
Brno, Host 2015, 232 pages
ISBN 978-80-7491-495-9
An exceptional fairy tale by today’s standards, featuring an original parable of
the struggle between good and evil. A princess and her lone royal father find
hope in a bright star appearing over their kingdom on the day of the queen’s demise. One day the star vanishes and its loss adopts a deeper significance, as it
had the ability to turn evil beings into stones, which were then hurled into the
Devil’s Canyon. Immediately, darkness reclaims the land and the malice of some
of the castle’s inhabitants is thriving. Their evil intentions are revealed by two
non-adult heroes: the princess and a newly appointed little jester. Younger
school children will find the story’s various twists breathtaking, including the final thrilling showdown in the form of a battle for the kingdom’s deliverance.
Their experience will be underpinned by Tereza Ščerbová’s illustrations, whose
pen-drawings skilfully blend with page-wide illustrations, gently abetting the
book’s melancholic feel.
Age 7+
Lenka Brodecká (1972) graduated from
the University of Finance and
Management, works as publishing editor,
translator and writer. She self-published
her two children’s books: collection of
scripts entitled Děti hrají divadlo
/Children Playing Theatre/ (2003) and
a cycle of capricious fairy tales about the
chagrins of exotic fauna Pišťucha má
problémy /A Pika in Trouble/. While
lacking critical recognition at first, the
book was eventually voted runner-up in
the Most Beautiful Czech Book
competition (2008, illustrated by Alžběta
Skálová). Brodecká also co-operates with
Czech public-service radio (plays Pomalu
zavřít dveře /To Close a Door Slowly/,
Tři u jezera /Three by the Lake/).
Tereza Ščerbová (1982) studied at the
SUPŠ in Ostrava, fine-arts education at
the Ostrava University – Department of
Arts, and illustration at the Prague VŠUP
in Juraj Horváth’s studio. She won an
internship in Lucerne under Pierre
Thomé and works, among other, for the
Živel and Host magazines, Argo
publishers and Malvína, a fine-arts
preschool. Her dreamy illustrations in
Marka Míková’s Škvíry /Cracks/ (2004)
received the Golden Ribbon award in the
category of books for older children and
young people.
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Michal Bystrov
Illustrated by Petr Nikl
NECH TEN MECH /
A TOSS IN THE MOSS
Prague, Meander 2015, 40 unnumbered pages
ISBN 978-80-87596-41-8
“In every true man a child is hidden,” Nietzsche remarked on the threshold of
modern age, “and it wants to play”. It also awaits the opportunity for a partner to
his play to emerge from behind the bibs and nappies and become the ideal companion for travels on the moss-covered paths of the mother tongue. Michal
Bytrov’s parenthood has provided Czech poetry for youngest readers, significantly boosted in the post-war era by František Hrubín and Jiří Žáček, with
a new and reassuring voice, delivering the message to the offspring that our
world is the best of all possible worlds. Author’s little compositions, rhymes and
children’s texts accompanied by Petr Nikl’s watercolours are a veritable sketchbook of magical animals – “only seen by me and you / no adult will ever know /
what eschews his very shoe / whose eyes on the bus do glow”. Bystrov’s verse
sheds light on their strolls through the Eden of nonsense, a journey to the zoo,
travel on the tube, or a trip to landscapes in the close vicinity of sleep. The poet
cautions his readers that there may be snakes lurking in the garden, because
some potty fellas lack the capacity for laughter, and thus we learn why blues was
invented. But staying true to yourself is always much better than being afraid.
Age 5+
Michal Bystrov (1979) graduated in
Czech studies from the Charles University
– Arts Department and studied at the
Jaroslav Ježek Conservatory. He made his
mark as a music critic and journalist
(Lidové noviny, Hospodářské noviny,
Czech Radio, Respekt, Reflex and other
titles), regularly contributes to the UNI
and Rock & Pop magazines and has his
own blues-rock band. He translated
monographs on Bob Dylan, Paul Simon,
Tom Waits etc. He is the author of the
acclaimed trilogy Příběhy písní /Stories
of Songs/ (2009–2015). Bystrov
published the poetry collections
Sebevražda čápem /Suicide by Stork/
and Blues na rozcestí /Blues at
a Crossroads/ (both 2013); his poems
feature in contemporary anthologies of
modern Czech poetry.
Petr Nikl (1960), co-founder of the
Tvrdohlaví art group, winner of the 1995
Jindřich Chalupecký Award, graduated
from the Prague AVU. As a multi-talented
artist he ventures into many different
fields of art, including painting, puppet
theatre and music projects. Timid and
dreamy perspective of the world
emanates from his self-illustrated books
Pohádka o Rybitince /Fairy Tale about
a Wee Fish Called Rybitinka/ (2001),
O Rybabě a mořské duši /Rybaba and the
Soul of the Sea/ (2002), Lingvistické
pohádky /Linguistic Tales/ (2006),
Záhádky /Fury Tales/ (2008 Magnesia
Litera for book of the year), Přeshádky
/Furry Tales/ (2010), Divňáci z Ňjújorku
/New York Oddballs/ (2012) and others.
In his book of reminiscences Foukací
povídky /Blow-Up Stories/ (2013), the
multiple Golden Ribbon laureate draws
inspiration from toys designed by his
artist mother Libuše Niklová.
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Pavel Čech
Illustrated by the author
VELKÁ KNIŽNÍ ZÁHADA /
THE GREAT BOOK MYSTERY
Havlíčkův Brod, Petrkov 2014,
80 unnumbered pages
ISBN 978-80-87595-35-0
A tribute to the author’s best-loved boyhood titles, this picture book also serves
as homage to the treasure trove of children’s reading and, well, some delicious
cheeses. The amusing tale of the brave cat Alfred from volume one and mouse
Quido from volume two, which volumes happen, by sheer coincidence, to inhabit the same bookshelf, has an almost detective plot: who has moved illustrations
from one book to the other and back again? While careful readers attempt to
solve the case, they receive numerous reading tips as the author pays tribute
to illustrations from the likes of Karel Franta and his comic book Malý Vinnetou
/The Little Vinnetou/, or Josef Čapek’s children’s classic Jak si pejsek s kočičkou
dělali k svátku dort /How Dog and Cat Made a Cake/. Given Čech’s sources of
inspiration, we can rest assured that his selection will include Foglar and
Fischer’s Rychlé šípy /The Fast Arrows/ or Riou and de Neuville’s engravings
from Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
Pavel Čech (1968) is a self-taught artist,
who works freelance since 2004. The
success of his children’s story O čertovi
/About an Imp/ (2002) made him write
and draw more books and comics for
children and young people, including
O zahradě /About a Garden/ (2005),
O klíči /About a Key/ (2007), Tajemství
ostrova za prkennou ohradou /The
Island Behind a Wooden Fence/ (2009)
or the book cycle entitled Dědečkové
/Grandpas/ (2011 Muriel Award in the
best drawing category). His poetic
illustrations appeared alongside Radek
Malý’s poetry collections Listonoš vítr
/Postman Wind/ (2009) and Moře slané
vody /A Sea of Salt Water/ (2013). His
comic book entitled Velké dobrodružství
Pepíka Střechy /Joey Roof’s Great
Adventure/ about a boy testing the
durance of true friendship received the
2013 Magnesia Litera in the category of
books for children and young people.
Age 7+
The same year saw the publication of the
comic-book cycle Dobrodružství Rychlé
Veverky /Adventures of the Fast
Squirrel/.
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Olga Černá
Illustrated by Alžběta Skálová
KLÁRKA A 11 BABIČEK /
KATIE AND 11 GRANNIES
Prague, Baobab 2015, 128 unnumbered pages
ISBN 978-80-7515-008-0
This little book with four different colour alternatives of the cover contains, despite its inconspicuous appearance, a very colourful novelette in letters. The exchange takes place between a grandpa called Thomas, who spends a long time in
hospital, and his granddaughter Katie, and summarises the girl’s year-long stay
with eleven “grandmas”. The vibrant lifestyles and parlance of these sometimes
close, sometimes completely accidental caretakers brings to life a whole array of
surprising situations, soliciting both humour and some thorough consideration.
The differences between the urban and rural environments are further intensified by the young girl’s unbridled imagination and the postcards she sends. The
story begins and ends with the girl’s double performance on the piano – her passion, which she is finally able to pursue in her new family. Alžběta Skálová’s
illustrations underline the childlike expressive quality of the drawings and collages.
Age 8+
Olga Černá (1964) graduated in
agronomy from the Prague University of
Agriculture and worked as bookseller,
lecturer and librarian. Her texts appeared
in children’s magazines Mateřídouška,
Sluníčko and Jonáš. Černá also blogs for
the weekly Respekt. She lives in the
South-Bohemian village of Nadějkov. One
of the core authors of the Baobab
publishing house, co-founder of the
Miroslav Šašek Foundation and editor of
the commemorative album To je M. Sasek
/This Is M. Sasek/ (2014), Černá is also
the author, among other, of the books
Kouzelná baterka /The Magic Hand
Torch/ (2004 Golden Ribbon) and Jitka
a kytka /The Budding Buddy/ (2010,
both illustrated by Michaela Kukovičová).
Her feeling for fantasy has successfully
blended with the dreamy world of natural
artefacts in the books Poklad starého
brouka /Old Beetle’s Treasure/ (2007)
and Z domu a zahrady /The House and
the Garden/ (2011).
Alžběta Skálová (1982) graduated from
the VŠUP in Juraj Horváth’s studio,
following in her family’s artistic tradition.
She specialises in book illustration, most
notably for younger children. Her original
book without words Péťa medánek
/Honey Pete/ became the 2009 Most
Beautiful Book and was also published in
France. She graduated with the title
Pampe a Šinka (2010), for which she
received the 2011 Magnesia Litera. Her
previous co-operation with Olga Černá
(Poklad starého brouka /Old Beetle’s
Treasure/) was also received favourably
by both readers and the professional
public.
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Olga Černá
Illustrated by Michaela Kukovičová
TO JE PRAHA /
THIS IS PRAGUE
ISBN 978-80-7515-004-2
Miroslav Šašek (1916–1980) – originally a native of the city of Prague, this
exile-based author of picture books for children was not recognised in his homeland until the 21st century. Having published his essential collection of guides to
world’s nineteen big cities, which in their time entertained youngest readers on
all continents, Šašek’s grandniece Olga Černá – co-founder of the foundation
bearing the artist’s name – decided to author the never-written tribute to Prague,
employing Šašek’s typical condensed style. Accompanied by a stray dog and
a couple of skateboard kids, she examines the magic of the Mother of All Cities
in a way that is sure to please all structuralists: dealing with it one topic at a time.
Michaela Kukovičová, whose collage-like view of reality is interspersed with naivist drawings, provides the city’s star-clad fame with a more civil outline. After
all, it does boast the world’s largest castle in regular use, it used to host Stalin’s
most appalling monument, Kafka’s beetle by the name of Gregor Samsa crawled
along its streets, Golem strode in its alleyways and a special type of sandwich,
“chlebíček”, was born here a hundred years ago.
Age 5+
Olga Černá (1964) – for more
information see page 9.
Michaela Kukovičová (1968) studied
animated film at the VŠUP, where she
currently lectures at the illustration and
graphic art studio. She specialises in book
and magazine illustration, short film and
video. Kukovičová is a multiple finalist of
several professional competitions. Her
collages, inspired by the Czech poetist
movement and pop-art, proved
instrumental in the success of such titles
as the playful Kouzelná baterka /The
Magic Hand Torch/ by Olga Černá (2004
Golden Ribbon), Pavel Hrnčíř’s non-sensical Komínek & Budíček /Chimney
and Wakey/ (2007) or the renditions of
ancient legends Prahou kráčí lev /A Lion
Walks Through Prague/ (2008 Most
Beautiful Book) and Řecké báje
/Greek Legends/ (2009 Golden Ribbon)
by Alena Ježková.
11
Radka Dráčková
Embroidered by the author
ZANZIBAR JAK VyŠITÝ /
ZANZIBAR THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE
Prague, Labyrint / Raketa 2015,
52 unnumbered pages
ISBN 978-80-86803-32-6
The tropical island of Zanzibar near Africa’s east coast, lauded by gourmets everywhere as the source of the finest black pepper, clove, mace and cinnamon, captured the imagination of a newcomer in the field of self-illustrated books to the
extent that she transformed its inhabitants into textile puppets. Radka Dráčková
has pinned and sewn together cuttings from her memories of the magic of this
particular corner of the Federal Republic of Tanzania. These scenes adopt the
form of cotton, viscose, linen and a trace amount of polyester (added for that extra touch of elegance), while the left part of each double page features text in
verse with smart metric variations, describing the life of the natives of the small
village of Jambiani. People here have little drinking water, no electricity and
very basic means for making a living, but when it comes to sharing smiles and
dreams, they are all the more generous. The book’s original narrative culminates
in four fables from a place where life is lived from one day to the next, because
time got lost and goes around in circles, as it does in the minds of all indigenous
peoples.
Radka Dráčková (1976), real surname
Ondráčková, studies Czech and Romance
studies at the PedF UK. She travelled
extensively, mostly to world’s poorer
countries, and actively participated in the
Pro-Contact development organisation’s
voluntary mission to Guinea. Her
journeys to east Africa, along with her
passion for textile, resulted in this poetic
book about the mysterious beauty of the
island of Zanzibar, Dráčková’s literary
debut.
Age 7+
12
Jiří Dvořák
Illustrated by Daniela Olejníková
HAVĚTNÍK /
BOOK OF VERMIN
Prague, Baobab 2015, 70 pages
ISBN 978-80-7515-019-6
Yet another illustrated encyclopedia penned by Jiří Dvořák – an experienced
advocate of nature’s beauties – and a loose sequel to the popular Rostlinopis
/Plantology/, this book again combines art with education to the advantage of
both. Stories featuring some of the less illustrious inhabitants of the animal and
plant kingdoms are very adventurous indeed, almost surprisingly so. While more
peaceful organisms, such as earthworms, serve the balance of Earth’s ecosystem,
swarms of almost militarily organised insects, viruses and various parasites
make life difficult for their fellow beings, be it hard-working bees (varroa destructor) or the so-called “master of all creation” (lice). The book, again complete
with a didactic puzzle supplement for interested school children, is accompanied
with pictures by Daniela Olejníková, which make adequate use of hyperbole.
Thus, as a whole, the book serves as welcome entertainment for the entire family.
Age 8+
Jiří Dvořák (1970) graduated from the
Czech University of Agriculture in Prague
and works as editor-in-chief of the
magazine Naše krásná zahrada. He is the
author of the books Slepice a televize
/The Chicken and a TV Set/ (2003),
Zpátky do Afriky! /Return to Africa/
(2005) and Minimax a mravenec /Mini
Max and the Ant/ (2009). His original
children’s stories relate various natural
phenomena to junior-school readers.
The imaginative encyclopedia Rostlinopis
/Plantology/ (illustrated by Alžběta
Skálová) received nomination for
Magnesia Litera in 2013. Critics also
embraced his poetic collection entitled
Jak zvířata spí /How Animals Sleep/
(2014).
Daniela Olejníková (1986), Slovak
painter and illustrator, graduated from
the VŠVU in Bratislava, mastering in
painting and other media. Since 2005 her
works were represented at numerous
exhibitions and commended twice in the
competition for Slovakia’s Most Beautiful
Books. Her illustrations appear e.g. in the
books O basetovi, ktorý neznášal
mľaskanie (2009) by Miro Čársky, La
casa del fiore volante e altre fiabe (2010)
by Renata Franka Flamigni, Richard
Brautigan’s surreal farce In Watermelon
Sugar (2011) and Martin Vopěnka’s
dystopian trilogy Spící město /Sleeping
City/ (2011–2013).
13
Petra Dvořáková
Illustrated by Kateřina Hikadová
FLOUK A LÍLA – DOBRODRUŽSTVÍ Z MRAKODRAPU /
FLOAK AND LEELA: A SKYSCRAPER ADVENTURE
Brno, Host 2015, 104 pages
ISBN 978-80-7491-505-5
Floak and Leela’s easily digestible story, aimed in both bulk and topic at reading
beginners, describes the friendship of a live computer mouse and a tom-cat with
magical abilities from the office next door. The main protagonists belong to two
managers from a skyscraper who have their own desires and sorrows and whose
peace of mind is under constant attack from their stressful jobs. Dialogues and
games between Leela and Floak help children distinguish, in an amusing way,
between the illusionary virtual world and the real one. The author’s creativity
speaks to children’s fantasy and their natural desire for the magic of contemporary technologies, behind which, however, danger may be lurking. The result is
an entertaining, meaningful and attractively illustrated story, the likes of which
are rare to find in contemporary Czech children’s literature.
Petra Dvořáková (1977) studied
secondary school for health education,
followed by philosophy at the Brno MU.
After a brief career in healthcare she now
works as journalist and manager. Her
debut, a collection of interviews
Proměněné sny /Transformed Dreams/
(2007), and its much-debated discourse
on the illusions and disillusions of faith,
won her the Magnesia Litera for current
affairs. In 2009 she published the book
Já jsem hlad /I Am Hunger/, an account
of her own struggle with mental anorexia
seen as “a search, a journey, a return to
the female soul”. Her first children’s prose
Julie mezi slovy /Juliet Among Words/
received the 2014 Golden Ribbon.
Age 6+
Kateřina Hikadová (1989) graduated
from the graphic design studio at FAVU,
Brno. Here she also attended
a typography studio and her bachelor’s
degree project Papíři /Paperers/ was
shortlisted among the best student
works of 2013. Her emerging talent
encompasses illustration, graphic design
and the teaching of art and film education
workshops.
14
Daniela Fischerová
Illustrated by Jitka Petrová
POHORŠOVNA /
DEFORMATORY
Prague, Mladá fronta 2014, 120 pages
ISBN 978-80-204-3270-4
This original children’s story is a Golden Ribbon winner in the children’s prose
category and draws on the current popularity of magic-school narratives, but
transforms imported fantasy models through comically turning the tables. In the
land of the despotic ruler Cruelhead there is a reformatory institution for maladjusted spooks who, rather than harming people, suffer from various embarrassing forms of niceness and perverse kind-heartedness. Unless the whip of Malefica
Grudgeberth is quick enough to intervene, these beings could easily turn into
doctors without borders or guide dogs. Recruiting from gabbling “dorcs”, “lampires”, who spend nights reading books, and the little-promising “imp in development”, will they eventually conform to the deformatory’s code of conduct?
Only the Fairy Godson, an inconspicuous little boy, sees what is going on due to
his soothsaying gift. Daniela Fischerová’s masterful use of language, supported
by situation humour, a pleasant helping of disorderliness and Jitka Petrová’s dynamic illustrations, leads junior-school children to the conclusion that both people and fairy-tale creatures should strive for the reconciliation of our two worlds.
Age 8+
Daniela Fischerová (1948), graduated
in dramaturgy and screenwriting from the
Prague FAMU and authored numerous
noteworthy theatre and radio plays, most
significantly Hodina mezi psem a vlkem
/The Hour Between Dog and Wolf/
(1979), Velká vteřina /The Great Second/
(1991), 12 způsobů mizení /12 Ways to
Disappear/ (2008) and Nevděčné děti
/Ungrateful Kids/ (2010). Her collections
of adapted fairy-tale material Duhové
pohádky /Rainbow Tales/ (1982 and
2003) and the book Kouzelná lampa
/The Magic Lamp/ (2010) also met with
critical acclaim. Her latest work for
youngest readers is the poetry collection
Tetovaná teta /The Tattooed Aunt/.
Jitka Petrová (1975) graduated in
animation from VŠUP and focuses on
graphic art, book illustration and web
design. Her pictorial accompaniment in
the anthology of 20th century Czech
poetry V Tramtárii, tam je hej /All’s Well
in Tramtaria/ (2004) won her the Golden
Ribbon and Albatros Annual Award. For
her computer game – part of a children’s
book Krtčí výlety /Moles’ Travels/ (2006,
collaboration with Jan Hlaváč) – she
received the Josef Hlávka Award and was
nominated for the Top Talent competition
in Vienna. Her playful style features in
numerous works for the youngest, from
Jiří Žáček’s folding book O odvážném
autíčku /Brave Little Car/ (2008),
through art-based education projects
(Můj první slovník českého jazyka /My
First Czech Language Dictionary/, 2008)
all the way to the two cartoon TV series
about Berta and Ufo (2007–2010, as
a book in 2014, together with Miroslav
Adamec).
15
Arnošt Goldflam
Illustrated by Petra Goldflamová Štětinová
POHÁDKY – O NEPOTŘEBNÝCH LIDECH A VĚCECH /
TALES AND STORIES OF UNNEEDED PEOPLE AND THINGS
Zvole u Prahy, Nakladatelství Andrej Šťastný
2014, 96 pages
ISBN 978-80-86739-60-1
Goldflam, an outstanding representative of Czech tragicomedy, uses his firsthand experience of a mature father, closer in age to a playful granddad, in authoring children’s tales that blend folklore base with the canons of grotesque
Jewish humour. In his fourteen short pieces, gentle irony and disarming absurdity confront the fact that both people and things only have a limited lifespan and
yet they are not to be discarded, as they will always posses a recycling charm.
Whether Goldflam deals with a thrown out Christmas tree, a broken watch or an
apple core, whether he muses over a lazy youngster or a veteran soldier, whether he lays his eye on yesterday’s paper, dead fish or even a piece of poo on the
street, all these meetings invariably make him think along the lines of Jan
Werich’s box carefully labelled “Short pieces of strings – of no use”. No use my
foot! Even this rich blend of apparent uselessness plays an immensely important
role in life – all the more so when embellished with the whimsical twists and
turns of the narrator’s style.
Arnošt Goldflam (1946), playwright,
screenwriter, director and actor,
graduated from JAMU in Brno, where he
now teaches. Between 1978–1993 he
defined the style of the HaDivadlo
Theatre, whose plays combined myth
with reality, and tragedy with the absurd.
His notable achievements include the
plays Jeden den /A Single Day/, Biletářka
/The Usheress/ (both 1983), Písek – tak
dávno /Sand – Feels Like Eternity/
(1988) and Já je někdo jiný /I Am an
Other/ (2003). He hosted several
children’s TV programmes and acted in
numerous films (e.g. Lotrando a Zubejda,
Něžný barbar). He advocates the
irreplaceable role of fathers in children’s
upbringing in the books Tatínek není
k zahození /Daddies Are to Keep/
(2004 Magnesia Litera) and Tatínek 002
/Daddy 002/ (2006).
Age 8+
Petra Goldflamová Štětinová (1970)
studied stage design at DAMU in Prague.
She is the author of stage designs and
costumes for theatres in Prague, Hradec
Králové and Brno, and also specialises in
graphic design. Her collaborators include
Vladimír Morávek, the Forman brothers
and her husband Arnošt Goldflam. Her
illustrations have appeared in the Daddysuperhero series as well as in Goldflam’s
fairy-tale book Sny na dobrou noc /Good
Night Dreams/ (2012).
16
Ondřej Horák
Illustrated by Jiří Franta
PROČ OBRAZY NEPOTŘEBUJÍ NÁZVY /
WHY PAINTINGS DON’T NEED NAMES
Prague, Labyrint / Raketa 2015, 96
unnumbered pages + flyleaf with timeline
ISBN 978-80-86803-28-9
One weekend Emma and Nick find out from their grandparents that the world
“gallery” applies not only to contemporary shopping temples of consumerism,
but also to friendly institutions, which accommodate children’s inherent need to
ask, search and think. This year’s Magnesia Litera and Golden Ribbon-winning
book uses dialogue-based prose, interlaced with gripping comic-book sequences, to turn exhibition spaces into frolicsome playgrounds that help humanise the
forbidding sphere of “modern art”. An experienced advocate of art has joined
forces with a notable protagonist of the comic-book circles to create a lovably
condensed literary form, combining debates on art-history with light parody and
live broadcast of a burglary involving Kazimir Malevich’s famous Black Square.
The book includes information summarising main artists, schools, approaches,
painting techniques, as well as some of the best-known cases of art theft, giving
older school children a better understanding of why an original, and the originality of an artist’s vision, mean so much to us.
Ondřej Horák (1976) graduated in stage
design and theatre studies from DAMU
and became an experienced advocate of
contemporary fine arts among children,
parents, seniors, the visually-impaired
and prison inmates, both as lecturer and
methodologist. His collaborations include
the National Gallery, Central Bohemia
Region Gallery, Moravian Gallery and
Slovak National Gallery. He ran his own
gallery Benzinka (2006–2010, with
M. Sybolová) in a former petrol station
near the town of Slaný, is currently in
charge of accompanying programme to
the Jindřich Chalupecký Award (for
young artists up to 35 years of age) and
co-operates with the tranzitdisplay
gallery.
Age 10+
Jiří Franta (1978), member of the
Rafani art group, graduated from AVU
and teaches at FAVU in Brno. Specialises
in painting, installations, video art and
street art. Founder of the ETC gallery
(2004–2010), co-founder of the comics
magazine KIX and multiple finalist of the
Jindřich Chalupecký Award, Franta has
exhibited both at home and abroad. He
often works together with his colleague
David Böhm (e.g. Nulla dies sine linea,
2012).
17
Tereza Horváthová
Illustrated by Eva Volfová
RYBIČKA /
THE LITTLE FISH
ISBN 978-80-87060-99-5
A tiny little aquarium fish, bought as a substitute for the whale daddy had always
wanted, is a magical creature without so much as having to move a fin. When she
leaves her constrained glass dwelling and moves into the bathtub, she immediately becomes a trained companion, possessing the authority of a master swimming instructor, and manages to make the nuclear family from this comic-book
story of a dictionary format to become a water-loving family. Each of its members loves spending time with her in the bathroom, as the little fish also performs
the role of the good kobold and a guide to the underwater world, in which every
bather is free to dream according to fancy. This subtle narrative on the role of
water in domestic well-being also gently points to the fact that when taking
a bath, shyness can be put aside – nakedness is, after all, a natural state of being
and it was this very element we emerged from several million years ago.
Age 5+
Tereza Horváthová (1973) graduated
in Romance studies from FF UK and is
the co-owner of the family-run Baobab
publishing house. She writes prose,
poetry, screenplays and articles for the
magazines Baoplán, Souvislosti, Babylon
and Revolver Revue. She is co-author of
the fairy-tale cycle Max a Saša aneb
Zápisky z našeho domu /Max and Sasha
or Notes from Our House/ (2009, with
her husband Juraj Horváth) and the
dendrological text Stromovka aneb
Abeceda vzácných či všelijak nádherných
stromů /The Tree Parade or Alphabet of
Rare and Otherwise Lovely Trees/ (2010,
with Jiří Dvořák). Her prosaic text Modrý
tygr /The Blue Tiger/ (2005 Golden
Ribbon in the category beautiful book as
a whole) was adapted for the eponymous
film co-production (2011, directed by Petr
Oukropec).
Eva Volfová (1979), graduated from the
textile art studio at VŠUP and focuses on
drawing, graphic art, textile collage,
embroidery and combined techniques.
One of the core illustrators of Baobab,
Volfová participated in the collective
project 12 nejmenších pohádek
/12 Briefest Tales/ (2011). Her recently
commended works include embroidery in
Olga Černá’s book Z domu a zahrady
/The House and the Garden/ (2011). Her
co-operation with Tereza Horváthová
dates to the book Kočička z kávové pěny
/The Coffee-Foam Cat/ (2006, 3rd place in
the Most Beautiful Czech Book
competition).
18
Jiří Kahoun
CO SE ZDÁ MEDVĚDŮM /
THE DREAMS OF BEARS
Prague, Knižní klub 2015, 112 pages
ISBN 978-80-242-4864-6
If a poll was held on which forest animal provided inspiration for the greatest
number of children’s books, bears would win rather convincingly. After the tales
of the “bee bears”, later transformed into puppets for a popular TV series, Jiří
Kahoun wrote (and illustrated) a story of two real bear brothers Bellybutton and
Tummy, their family and friends. Pre-school readers are introduced to some familiar situations, in which the bears help around the house or collect (and, with
much gusto, consume) wood berries. In the process, the bear offspring (and the
readers) acquire some essential skills and experience many little joys and troubles, until nature lulls the animals into winter sleep. This book emanates family
harmony and its tone is gently caressing, as is its understanding for the occasional little mischief.
Age 5+
Jiří Kahoun (1942), a craft smith and
stonemason by original profession,
counts among the most experienced
authors for children in the oldest
generation of writers. A long-time
collaborator of the Sluníčko magazine, his
debut Pískací kornoutek /The Whistling
Cone/ (1984) was received favourably, as
were his other dozen titles for younger
readers (e.g. Štěstíčko a kocouří dědeček
/Lucky and the Cat Grandpa/, 2009).
Kahoun’s works served as basis for the
making of the popular TV series Příhody
včelích medvídků /The Bee Bear Tales/,
Včelí medvídci od jara do zimy /Bee
Bears from Spring till Winter/, Jak se
mají včelí medvídci? /How Are the Bee
Bears?/ (published as books in 1992,
2005 and 2009; illustrations and puppets
by Ivo Houf) or Toronto Tom, kocour
z Ameriky /Toronto Tom, the Cat from
America/ (as a book in 1993, illustrated
by Jitka Walterová). He also authored
a remarkable rendition of the magic of the
railway (O mašinkách – Pohádky na
kolejích /Trains: Fairy Tales on Rails/,
2007) and aeroplanes (O létajících
strojích – Pohádky z povětří /Flying
Machines: Fairy Tales from the Air/,
2013). In 2013 Kahoun received the
Golden Ribbon for his life-long
achievements in the field of literature for
children and young people.
19
Kolektiv autorů / Various authors
Illustrated by various illustrators
VEČERNÍČKŮV POHÁDKOVÝ ŠPALÍČEK /
CHILDREN’S BEDTIME STORIES
Prague, Czech Television – CT Series 2015,
448 pages
ISBN 978-80-7404-154-9
It was exactly fifty years ago when the Czechoslovak State Television first
launched the boy in a paper hat onto its screens – in those politically tense years
hardly anyone predicted that the bedtime TV series, of which he became the
symbol, would turn into such a success both in Czechoslovakia and later in the
two independent states. The programmes’ thematic and artistic span is very
wide indeed and includes adaptations of older children’s stories (Nauman, Nepil,
Lada, Plachta, Poláček, Vančura and others), as well as cartoons jointly developed as book and TV series (Rumcajs by Čtvrtek and Pilař, Maxipes Fík by
Čechura and Šalamoun, etc.). Václav Chaloupek, champion of live nature, is the
most copious among authors of the more recent titles. Besides a list of authors,
screenwriters, art designers and directors, the volume’s detailed credits include
the names of the cameramen, authors of music and actors in the role of narrators.
Various authors: Miroslav Adamec,
Jan Balej, Lubomír Beneš, Ivan Binar,
Rudolf Čechura, Václav Čtvrtek, Edgar
Dutka, Stanislav Havelka, Václav
Chaloupek, Petr Chvojka, Vladimír
Jiránek, Anna Jurásková, Olga Kafková,
Jiří Kahoun, Martina Komárková, Libuše
Koutná, Pavel Koutský, Marie Kšajtová,
Marie Kubátová, Josef Lada, Josef
Lamka, Hana Lamková, Miloš Macourek,
Jiří Munk, Alena Munková, Milan
Nápravník, Pavel Nauman, František
Nepil, Jaroslav Pacovský, Cyril Podolský,
Karel Poláček, Vlasta Pospíšilová, Irena
Povejšilová, Eva Povondrová-Nývltová,
Jindřiška Ptáčková, Jan Smolík, Klára
Smolíková, Ludvík Středa, Jiřina
Středová, David Súkup, Emil Šaloun, Jiří
Šebánek, Milan Šebesta, Božena Šimková,
Marie Šolleová, Ljuba Štíplová, Šárka
Váchová, Jaroslav Vidlař, Karel Vlček,
Jindřich Vodička.
Age 4+
Various illustrators: Jan Balej, Luděk
Bárta, Adolf Born, Barbora Dlouhá,
Gabriela Dubská, Lubomír Dušek, Helena
Dušková, František Freiwillig, Ivo Houf,
Radek Houf, Jarmila Houfová, Jaromír
Gál, Vladimír Jiránek, Josef Lada, Jiří
Kalousek, Milan Lesiak, Věra Marešová,
Zdeněk Miler, Jitka Petrová, Radek Pilař,
Vladimír Renčín, Zdeněk Smetana,
Antonín Stoják, Milada Sukdoláková, Eva
Sýkorová-Pekárková, Jiří Šalamoun, Ivo
Šedivý, Jan Trippmann, Šárka Váchová,
František Vystrčil, Jitka Walterová.
20
Marcela Konárková
GALERIE ANEB ARTUROVO DOBRODRUŽSTVÍ /
THE GALLERY OR ARTHUR’S ADVENTURES
Prague, Meander / National Gallery in Prague
2015, 20 unnumbered pages + workbook
in paper suitcase
ISBN 978-80-87596-46-3 (Meander)
ISBN 978-80-7035-577-0 (National Gallery
in Prague)
Age 7+
This particular trip to a gallery is authored by Marcela Konárková and employs
two modes of interactive dialogue with art. The main hardbound volume looks
like a large folding book with movable parts, allowing readers to manipulate the
pictures. The set comes complete with a workbook, challenging readers to perform various tasks. The story’s wide-eyed guide is called Arthur. He wears a white
coat and his home is in a painting by an unknown master – a work apparently
placed in the famed gallery by mistake. Having faced much ridicule from the visitors, Arthur undertakes a perilous journey around some outstanding canvasses,
spending a little time in each and remarking on the characteristic topics and
painting schools. This tour takes us to František Kupka’s rainbow landscape,
Emil Filla’s cubist woman in an armchair with a book, hot-air balloons by Kamil
Lhoták or the dreamy world of Toyen, to name but a few. The book facilitates
children’s first contact with some of the most significant Czech works of art
through (quite literally) all the senses, encouraging the much needed creativity
in our youngest readers.
Marcela Konárková (1988) graduated
in illustration and graphic design from
the Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and
Art in Plzeň. She mainly specialises in
book illustration for children, interactive
books and free-form art. Her illustrations
are featured in the trilogy Pověsti z míst
tajemných i kouzelných /Legends of
Mysterious and Magical Places/ (2013).
She also authored and illustrated the
highly original publications Naše Choceň,
nevšední procházka městem /Our Town
of Choceň: An Unusual Walk/ (2012),
Ladislav Sutnar – inspirace dětem
/Ladislav Sutnar: Inspiration for
Children/ (together with Steve Heller)
and the interactive book Chrobákovy
trampoty /A Beetle’s Troubles/ (both
2015).
21
Robin Král
Illustrated by Nikola Logosová
REKOMANDO /
REGISTERED MAIL
Prague, Běžíliška 2015, unnumbered folding
book
ISBN 978-80-906112-6-9
This folding book in verse for the youngest explorers of the poetic beauties of
their mother tongue begins with a journey across half the globe in search of two
boys, Billy and Billy, who went to a summer camp. Once it becomes clear that
their Indian hunting grounds of Little America lie neither across the ocean, nor
in the Indian jungle, an urgent letter from their grandma comes to the fore. She
asks them to look for a gift she had been given by the boys’ great-grandfather as
a little girl and forgot at that very same summer camp half a century ago. The
three clues – and helpful tools in retrieving the treasure – are a bubble maker,
a bottle of mineral water and the author’s favourite animal: a bat. Knowing that
the riddle involves the mythical flying bicycle, lost under most unfortunate circumstances, it won’t be difficult to answer one extra question: which famous
family do these enthusiastic boy-scouts come from?
Age 4+
Robin Král (1981) graduated in
aesthetics from FF UK and screenwriting
from VOŠ of the Jaroslav Ježek
Conservatory, where he now teaches. He
focuses mainly on poetry for the youngest
readers. Král captured the world of
children’s wishes and fantasies in his
poetic texts Šimon chce být krotitelem
/Simon Wants to Become an Animal
Tamer/, Z Kroměříže do Paříže /From
Kromeriz to Paris/ (both 2011) and the
playful story about bats Ferdinande!
/Oh, Ferdinand!/ (2013, Golden Ribbon
for illustration). Král also authors and
translates song lyrics: he co-operates,
among other, with the Spejbl and
Hurvínek Theatre (Hurvínek mezi osly
/Hurvinek Among Donkeys/, Jak
s Máničkou šili všichni čerti /Manicka
and the Devil/) and the band Toxique.
Nikola Logosová (1992) studies
illustration at VŠUP and is a member of
the music duo Gauner. She focuses on
comic books, graphic art, posters and
jewellery and illustrated Robin Král’s
Pohádka o Opuštěněti /Whelpless/
(2014). Logosová’s collaboration with the
writer Marek Šindelka on the comic book
Jaro /Spring/ (2014) was preceded by her
own pictorial rendition (2012) of Ladislav
Fuks’ novel Pan Theodor Mundstock
/Mr. Theodor Mundstock/.
22
Robin Král
Illustrated by Jana Hrušková
VYNÁLEZÁRIUM /
HOUSE OF INVENTIONS
Prague, Běžíliška 2015, 140 pages
ISBN 978-80-906112-1-4
Where Radek Malý’s Poetický slovníček dětem v příkladech /Small Poetic
Dictionary for Children with Examples/ stopped a couple of years ago, the guiding torch was picked up by this new project set on making poetry popular among
school children. In his ten ventures into more advanced fields of poetry, Robin
Král reveals some of the treasures of the era when poets were seen as final arbiters in questions of beauty. Whether he strolls around the Mediterranean in
search of the roots of the sonnet, rondel or Villonesque balad, throws us a cunning wink in the five verses of an Irish limerick, or unravels the progress of
Arabic ghazal or Malaysian pantun, each of these examples is invariably both
musical and playful. Illustrations by Jana Hrušková, which are at their wittiest
in the section on Far-Eastern calligraphy, and Zuzana Brečanová’s typography,
all combine into an imaginative poetic travel guide that meets all its objectives.
Unlike a medieval troubadour belauding the charm of ladies, this volume celebrates the creative nous afforded to mankind in the form of X-rays, sugar cubes
and ski lifts, bottle openers, light bulbs, engines... and, last but not least, the instrument without which poetry could hardly exist: writing.
Age 10+
Robin Král (1981) – for more
Jana Hrušková (1985) graduated from
VŠUP, film and television graphic art
studio, with internships at art schools in
Marseille and Zagreb. She focuses on
animated film – her collaborations
include the song- and screen-writer
Karolína Kamberská and Komfort Mag,
magazine for emerging artists. She also
experiments with photography, spacial
objects and sewing techniques. This book
is her debut as illustrator for children and
young people.
23
Rudolf Král
Illustrated by Lukáš Urbánek
EMA A PUSINKOVÝ LUPIČ /
EMMA AND THE THIEF OF KISSES
Prague, Mladá fronta 2015, 168 pages
ISBN 978-80-204-3358-9
Eight-year-old Emma can’t help but wonder what happened to all those little tokens of affection between mum and dad. Her unceasing effort to find out reminds us of the young detective from Jan Procházka’s short story Naše bláznivá
rodina /Our Crazy Family/. Aided by her lovable granny who loves dancing and
Frank Sinatra, and a zany female biker, Emma soon discovers that their lonely
and shy neighbour Mr. Vincent sneaks out at night and steals all the little kisses,
which the happier people around him otherwise would have shared. This heartwarming and by all means colourful story to be read by parents to their children
reminds us that love is a reliable cure against loneliness and that it must be actively sought. Not only do we have to fight for it – ideally in similar amounts
which Ms. Vilma Blizzard, an outstanding XXL-sized personality, eventually affords Mr. Vincent – but we also have to care for it and protect it from those who
want to make it their prey.
Rudolf Král (1972) graduated in
screenwriting and dramaturgy from
FAMU and became the editor-in-chief of
the film magazine DVD Movie. He
collaborated on the scripts of several
documentary and feature TV series and
started writing for children when his
daughter was born. In his folding book
Ema lítá /Emma Flies/ (2011), a charity
project for the non-profit organisation
Caballinus, his daughter was cast in the
title role of a little girl who happens to fly
away from a funfair and is saved by
a brave pony. The tale of Ema
a pusinkový lupič /Emma and the Thief
of Kisses/ is Král’s second book for
youngest readers.
Age 5+
Lukáš Urbánek (1973) graduated in
film and TV graphic art from VŠUP. He
focuses on film animation (incl. Prima
Cool TV jingles), regularly collaborates on
comic-book workshops and the “baby-punk” project Kašpárek v rohlíku
(Postřelená kniha /Bonkers/, 2013).
Besides long-term collaboration with the
poetess Milada Rezková (Doktor Racek
jede na prázdniny /Dr. Gull on Holiday/,
Doktor Racek na horách /Dr. Gull in the
Mountains/, Babočky /Vanessas/, Hurá
na kajak! /Kayak Hooray!/), for which he
received three Golden Ribbons in the
years 2008–2012, his illustrations also
appeared in the collection of Japanese
kaidans Strašidelný chrám v horách
/The Haunted Mountain Temple/ (2009)
or Ladislav Špaček’s Komiksová etiketa
/Comic-book Etiquette/ (2011). His comic
book Adamův deník /Adam’s Diary/
became the Most Beautiful Czech Book of
2007.
24
Miloš Kratochvíl
Illustrated by Iku Dekune
ZAJATCI STŘÍBRNÉHO SLUNCE /
PRISONERS OF THE SILVER SUN
Prague, Triton 2015, 98 pages
ISBN 978-80-7387-581-7
In this prose the seasoned author delivers a surprising message and lets us wonder what genre for young readers he has created this time. The dystopian variation conjures up a world in which computer-game backdrops materialise into reality. A six-year-old boy named Mark, who lives in the near future, gets a DVD
from his father with a game called The City, and becomes addicted to it. Eventually
he manages to destroy the City and still have one or two lives left, despite his
family’s frequent reproaches that games should not be played for the joy of killing. In a dream, Mark suddenly finds himself within the City’s ruins, guided by
a little boy whom he had wounded with three shots. Mark, who is responsible for
all the destruction, now ponders the City’s ruins and the disk of the silver sun,
which rises above the rebuilt metropolis, and children and adults alike are faced
with a disquieting question concerning the limits of the virtual world. Iku
Dekune’s charming illustrations stand out as faithful representations of a child’s
imagination.
Miloš Kratochvíl (1948) studied
journalism at Charles University and
worked as editor in the Stadion sports
weekly and author of TV scripts. He
started writing for children and young
people in 1989 – prose, poetry, song
lyrics, fairy tales. He is the author of
numerous scripts for TV fairy tales and
series (Čaroděj z nafukovacího stromu
/The Blow-Up Tree Wizard/, in book
form in 2008) and co-authors a regular
children’s TV programme. His book
Modrý Poťouch /Blue Miss Chief/ (2010
Golden Ribbon) features peculiar beings
with a trumpet-shaped “whisperoo”,
whose frolicky activities are echoed in
many of the author’s other books. His
pentalogy Pachatelé dobrých skutků
/Perpetrators of Good Deeds/ (2009–
–2012) also makes for very appealing
reading.
Age 6+
Iku Dekune (1969) graduated in graphic
art from the Musashino Art University in
Tokio and lives in Prague with her husband
since 2002. Her work combines European
culture with the canons of Japanese art
and has won her international acclaim.
For her illustrations in Das Meerhäschen
by the brothers Grimm she received the
2003 Grand Prix at the Bratislava
Biennial of Illustrations and her pictorial
accompaniment to Wild Geese by Mikhail
Bulatov was lauded as Japan’s Most
Beautiful Book in 2005.
25
Daniela Krolupperová
Illustrated by Barbora Kyšková
ZLOČIN NA STARÉM MĚSTĚ PRAŽSKÉM /
A CRIME IN PRAGUE’S OLD TOWN
ISBN 978-80-00-03792-9
Historical crime stories for curious children appear rarely on bookshop shelves,
but this one may also serve as an attractive book about Prague. The plot, set in
old Prague, draws inspiration from Jakub Schikaneder’s well-known painting
Murder in the House, skilfully rendered in Barbora Kyšková’s illustrations. Little
Jakub witnesses a girl’s tragic fall from a balcony, returns home disturbed, and
never forgets the dreadful scene. Meanwhile, Detective Inspector Zastávka questions many witnesses – a showcase of socialites of late 19th century Prague, by
then a somewhat sidetracked metropolis. Daniela Krolupperová smoothly incorporates real people and events into her text, making sure that school-age readers
of this Golden Ribbon-winning text will learn not only who the perpetrator of the
crime was, but also how the sports organisation Sokol and the first grammar
school for girls Minerva came to exist.
Daniela Krolupperová (1969) studied
Nordic languages at the FF UK and her
philological background has influenced
even her work for youngest children, e.g.
in the book Draka je lepší pozdravit
/Better Say Hello to a Dragon/ (2009).
Her fairy-tale stories Zuzanka /Susie/
(2005), Sedmilhář Josífek /Joey’s Lies/
(2008) and Josífkův pekelný týden
/Joey’s Hellish Week/ (2010) are
dedicated to reading beginners, as are her
folding-book texts. She co-authored the
monumental encyclopedia Historie
Evropy /The History of Europe/ (2011,
with Renáta Fučíková; Golden Ribbon).
Her series of didactic children’s stories
Zákeřné keře /Unbashful Bushes/ (2010),
Rybí sliby /A Fishy Promise/ (2011) and
Mizící hmyzíci /Bug-Off/ (2013),
illustrated by Eva Chupíková, also fit in
the tradition of art-based educational
prose.
Age 10+
Barbora Kyšková (1954), AVU
graduate, works as freelance artist, art
restorer and theatre set designer. Her
children’s illustrations mainly focus on
the genre of fantasy, e.g. in her pictorial
accompaniment to the Czech translation
of Clockwork by Philip Pullman, Lloyd
Alexander’s The Chronicles of Prydain or
modern Czech publication of Astrid
Lindgren’s fairy-tale novel Ronia the
Robber’s Daughter (2007).
26
Martin Kubát
PŘED PŮLNOCÍ 1, 2 /
BEFORE MIDNIGHT 1, 2
Prague, Arbor vitae 2014, two notebooks with
perforated seam
40 unnumbered pages
ISBN 978-80-7467-073-2
Age 5+
The two volumes, illustrated with collages from pieces of torn-up colour paper,
are joined together by perforation, enabling us either to go through both parts as
a whole or to tear them apart and enjoy the pleasant shivers they send down our
spines separately. The subheadings suggest how interactive Martin Kubát expects us to be. In the first volume, white and more cheerful, entitled Dej pusu
medvědici Miře na dobrou noc /Kiss Mira the Bear Good Night/, Mira the bear,
Chevalier the frog and Spot the cat encourage preschool readers to show positive
emotions, while the terrifying narration of Kdo se bojí, tuto knihu neotvírá
/If You’re Afraid, Don’t Open This Book/ is underpinned by adequately shaky
lettering. Nonetheless, bright colours soon fight their way through the darkest
shades of black and a pink pony gives the kids even more challenging tasks to
solve. The diptych’s gloomier part incorporates some typical children’s dreams,
which the book’s author not only still recalls, but also passes on to all today’s little dreamers.
Martin Kubát (1981) graduated in
illustration and graphic art from VŠUP,
under Jiří Šalamoun and later Juraj
Horváth. He collaborated on projects by
the Kopr association (emphasising auteur
approach to books) and group called BOX
(comic-book creation). His thesis, the
self-illustrated book Je večer, vypusťte
čerta! /Evening’s Here, Let the Imp Out!/
was awarded in the Most Beautiful Book
competition, student category, in 2008.
In 2013 Kubát published a loose sequel
entitled Čistka /The Purge/. He
collaborated on visual designs of books
for Fra publishers, the A2 magazine and
Archa Theatre’s printed materials. His
diptych Před půlnocí /Before Midnight/
was voted second in the 2015 Most
Beautiful Book competition – children’s
books category.
27
Jan Laštovička
ABECEDA (Z) MĚST /
THE CITY ALPHABET
Prague, Albatros 2015, 64 unnumbered pages
ISBN 978-80-00-03837-7
This alphabetical expedition encompasses four continents in four exercise-book
volumes, formally reminiscent of the legendary Detective Štika comic strips
from the magazine Ohníček, and echoing the style of the belatedly recognised exiled author Miroslav Šašek. This book is more than a mere alphabetical summary, in which the cities’ initials provide young school children with an entertaining rendition of symbols that our wandering memory tends to associate with the
individual locations. It is an atlas of places from Antwerp to Zadar in which the
much-travelled author has sojourned, including the remarkable South-American
destinations of Iquique and Uyuni. Laštovička’s sketchbook amounts to even
more – it is a modern curiosity cabinet, providing children’s eager eyes with interesting facts from all around the world: here the ancient city of Venice is sinking into the sea, over there we see the London rebel Banksy installing his murdered phone booth and right around the corner bears from the Arctic town of
Whitehorse await another helping of edible prospectors.
Age 6+
Jan Laštovička (1979), graduated in art
education and pedagogy from PedF UK
and focuses on book and magazine
illustration. Besides self-illustrated books
for children, he also publishes bibliophile
prints for adults: his colour linocuts
appear, among other, in the separately
published short story Psovod Gerža
/Gerža the Whipper-in/ (2009) by Jan
Zábrana or H. P. Lovecraft’s horror story
The Hound (2014). Laštovička’s
illustrations will be familiar to readers of
Židovské listy, the philanthropy magazine
Umění darovat and the monthly Maxim.
He travels, designs china wear, builds
snow statues and collects photos of
graffiti, of which he has published two
yearbooks entitled Pigtures.
28
Katarína Macurová
ZAJÍČKOVA CESTA /
LITTLE BUNNY’S TRAVELS
Prague, Nakladatelství 65. pole 2015,
24 unnumbered pages
ISBN 978-80-87506-65-3
The lonely white bunny is not quite like the polar bears among which he grew up.
One day he decides to look for his relatives, whom he hopes to find by the shape
of his shadow. The journey to his roots takes him to foreign lands, where he
meets the likes of a swan, a tiger, or, in China, a silkworm, until he reaches a large
meadow on which he discovers a rollicking long-eared friend. Every character in
the book is created as a three-dimensional computer-modelled element in order
to make the protagonists’ shadows fit the illustrations and the book’s plot. The
resulting puzzle-like structures are very attractive for the youngest readers. This
original book, illustrated by the author, draws our attention to the various colours and forms that surround us, emphasises solidarity in the global village and
brings joy to sensitive readers of all ages.
Age 4+
Katarína Macurová (1983) graduated
from the free-form graphic art and book
illustration studio led by Dušan Kállay at
VŠVU, where she now works as assistant
at the graphic art and other media
department. The idea for The Little
Bunny’s Travels was born during her
internships in Greece, Mexico, USA,
Spain and Scotland. The book, originally
published by the Slovak T-Gallery, was
awarded the Communication Arts Award
of Excellence (USA) and was shortlisted
for the British Association of Illustrators
(AOI) award. Macurová often illustrates
collections of folk stories, e.g. Turčianske
povesti, Riečne povesti (both published
by Matica slovenská) and Ja nič, ja
muzikant by Braňo Jobus.
29
Radek Malý
Illustrated by Nikola Hoření
PŘÍHODY MATKY PŘÍRODY /
MOTHER NATURE’S TALES
Prague, Meander 2014, 64 pages
ISBN 978-80-87596-44-9
Anyone with a taste for Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories will enjoy the configurations of Radek Malý’s imagination. These seven tales from the kingdom of live
creatures and the land of seemingly lifeless minerals, who come to the Great
Mother to seek advice (or find their own solutions to troubles very similar to
problems experienced by people) are gentle, wise and contain a pinch of nonintrusive advice. We learn how beavers got their flat tails, why swarms of flies are
no longer ruled by queens or why trees don’t talk (“at best they hum”). We can
only regret that man, proudly beating his chest as the master of all creation, has
long since forgotten to address his wishes to “Nature the Wanderer” through
whispering them into a hollow willow. And it is man and woman – both big and
small – at whom the stories’ ubiquitous wit is aimed, reminding them of Nature’s
beauty.
Radek Malý (1977) graduated in Czech
and German studies from FF UP in
Olomouc. He teaches at the University of
Pardubice and his alma mater and also
works as a translator. His poetry for both
children and adults is appreciated by
readers and critics alike: Vraní zpěvy
/Crow Songs/ received the 2004 Jiří
Orten award and the collection entitled
Větrní – Zcestné verše /Windswept:
Songs from Stray Journeys/ were
commended with the 2005 Magnesia
Litera for poetry. Collection entitled Kam
až smí smích /Where Laughter Is
Allowed/ (2009) brings Malý’s poems
and nursery rhymes for school readers.
The book of melancholic verse Listonoš
vítr /Postman Wind/ (2011, Magnesia
Litera 2012), entered on the international
IBBY Honor List in 2014, was followed by
Moře slané vody /A Sea of Salt Water/
(both books illustrated by Pavel Čech).
Malý’s Všelijaké řečičky pro kluky
a holčičky /Chitter-Chatter for Boys and
Age 8+
Girls/ (2013, illustrated by Alžběta
Skálová) was published as part of the
Books for Junior School Kids project.
Nikola Hoření (1989) studied lettering
and typography at VŠUP and later
graduated from the school’s illustration
and graphic art studio. She became
fond of using ink and pastels and her
illustrations appeared in William
Saroyan’s poetic book Papa, You’re Crazy
in 2012. Radek Malý’s collection of fables
has provided her drawing talent with an
even greater opportunity.
30
Marka Míková
Illustrated by Tereza Ščerbová
ŠKVÍRY /
CRACKS
Prague, Argo 2014, 98 pages
ISBN 978-80-257-1311-2
Marka Míková’s works for children and young people often reach beyond the
Bohemian basin – characters of her fantastic proses inhabit the distant Iceland
(Kniha-foss /Book-Foss/, 2007) or travel all the away across the pond (Mra
kodrapy /Skyscrapers/, 2012). And yet the story of the eight-year-old Matylda,
growing up with her film-director father, takes place against the backdrop of
a single apartment building. When the girl goes shopping, she discovers mysterious cracks in the walls, which turn into a gateway to a fantastic world, in which
she encounters, among other, her neighbour’s lost ferret featured on the book’s
cover. In this unreality, Matylda lives out her adult destiny, bringing to life some
painfully suppressed desires. This initiation story successfully blends everyday
reality with dreamy visions that accompany us in both our conscious and subconscious minds. Tereza Ščerbová’s drawings – in a surprising blue-orange tone –
underline the book’s overall beauty and strengthen the hope of the readers, who
are slowly coming of age, that it is good to believe in a better, full and bright life.
Age 10+
Marka Míková (1959) graduated in
puppetry from DAMU, acted in several
fairy-tale films and played in the musical
bands Dybbuk, Panika and Zubynehty.
She also worked as radio host and
director in the children’s theatre Minor.
Míková currently works in TV dubbing.
Her first prose Roches a Bžunda /Roches
and Funcase/ became the Most Beautiful
Czech Book of 2001. Text entitled JO537
(2010 Golden Ribbon), featuring a novel
narrative approach, was nominated for
Magnesia Litera, as was the book Škvíry
/Cracks/.
Tereza Ščerbová (1982) – for more
31
Jan Nejedlý (ed.)
Illustrated by Jaromír Plachý
MISTR SPORTU SKÁČE Z DORTU /
LITTLE ARABELLA MILLER FOUND A FURRY
CATERPILLAR
ISBN 978-80-87596-43-
Czechs usually jump at every opportunity for a bit of mystification, beginning
from the moment when children discover the magic of their language. “Nursery
rhymes, poems, songs and other capers” collected from both kindergartens and
schools by Jan Nejedlý, a modern-day version of a National Revival folklorist,
treat us to a veritable verbal circus, accompanied by some explosive graphic
horseplay unleashed by Jaromír Plachý’s colour pencils. The collection’s double
pages are a showcase of folk humour – biting and defamatory, disorderly and absurd, sweet and dry, acoustically refined and pulled together by reckless prosody, dadaistic in approach or simply going round in circles. This collection of
jokes (no sugarcoating involved) will enhance the spoken-language skills of the
youngest ones (with no need for pushing the classical idea of the beauty of
words), their linguistic memory, and above all their all-important sense for nonsense.
Jan Nejedlý (1971) graduated from
PedF UK and worked as teacher and
journalist e.g. in the literary magazines
Nové knihy and Tvar. His systematic
interest in surrealism, pataphysics, the
sources of humour and the more basal
layers of folk creativity were incarnated
into his bestiary of urban myths Nová
pražská strašidla /Prague’s New Ghosts/
(2012). He edited an anthology of the
Czech surrealist poet Karel Šebek Dívej se
do tmy, je tak barevná /Look into the
Darkness, It’s So Colourful/ (1996) and
co-edited the anthology of post-1989
erotic texts Jezdec na delfíně /The
Dolphin Rider/ (2005, with R. Kopáč).
He also made his mark as screenwriter of
dadaistic videos.
Age 4+
Jaromír Plachý (1986) studied in the
animation studio at VŠUP. He focuses on
developing computer games, animations,
illustrations and comic books. He is the
author of the game Botanicula (2012) for
his parent company and the winner of
numerous awards at home and abroad.
His music video Nunovó tango (2010)
won the main prize at the Anifilm festival
in Třeboň and in Turin. His series of
comic strips Jiné světy /Other Worlds/
(2007–2011) and the comic book Kmen
a jiné příběhy /Tree Trunk and Other
Stories/ (2007) was lauded by jury
members at the Komiksfest festival; he
also authored the comic book Koule
a Krychle /Ball and Cube/ (2010) and his
drawings feature in Daniela Fischerová’s
collection Tetovaná teta /The Tattooed
Aunt/ (2015).
32
Mária Nerádová
JAK VELBLOUD POTKAL ŤAVU
Prague, Albatros 2014, 94 pages + a game
of Match Match
ISBN 978-80-00-03499-7
ČESKO-SLOVENSKÝ OBRÁZKOVÝ SLOVNÍK ZÁKEŘNÝCH SLOV PRO DĚTI
WHEN VELBLOUD MET ŤAVA
/
THE CZECH-SLOVAK PICTURE DICTIONARY OF TREACHEROUS WORDS FOR KIDS
This exquisitely illustrated dictionary, which compares the languages of two very
close Slavonic neighbours, reflects the current linguistic needs of children after
the break-up of the Czechoslovak federation twenty two years ago. Although
family and cultural relationships still exist, we lack everyday contact (historically mainly channelled through media) and children can become confused by some
of the more “treacherous” words. The current work elucidates these in four different sections, reflecting children’s perception of the world and employing affable hyperbole. The word for “ball”, for example, is “lopta” in Slovak and “míč” in
Czech, and “raňajky” in Slovak (meaning “breakfast”) is “snídaně” in Czech. The
mysterious-sounding “vankúš” (or “pillow”) is “polštář” in Czech and “lilac” is
“orgován” in Slovak and “šeřík” in Czech. Slovak children also find it easier to
learn the names of the months in foreign languages, as theirs are based on Latin.
Now school children from both sides of the border have an attractive aid at hand
for overcoming potential indifference to their neighbours.
Mária Nerádová (1988) graduated in
illustration from Dušan Kállay’s studio at
the VŠVU in Bratislava, and graphic
design from the Tomáš Baťa University in
Zlín. She began illustrating books for
children during her studies. Nerádová
worked in the Calder studio, co-operated
with foreign publishing houses Usborne,
Mondadori, Glottogon and Albatros, as
well as Mladé letá and Ikar in her
homeland. In 2010 she was awarded in
the competition Slovakia’s Most Beautiful
Books for her Slovak-Czech Picture
Dictionary, which started out as a school
project and became the basis of the
current book.
Age 6+
33
Martin Otevřel
Illustrated by Zdeněk Smetana (together with
Mária Axamitová) and Martin Otevřel
ŠTAFLÍK A ŠPAGETKA – PSÍ KUSY /
STEPLADDER AND SPAGHETTONI:
A DOGS’ LIFE
The original TV fairy-tale series featuring Stepladder and Spaghettoni, directed
by Václav Bedřich and written by Alena and Jiří Munk with Zdeněk Smetana’s
pictures, was first screened forty-four years ago. These seven new stories by
Martin Otevřel and Mária Axamitová, which both use and complement the original artwork, introduce the two heroes to a third generation of preschool children, this time as indefatigable sportsmen. The two dogs and the mischievous
crow, initiator of most of the jokes, are active regardless of the time of the year,
surface or discipline. The comic-book’s simple storyline, occasionally churned
by an exclamation understood even by non-readers, provides very few dialogues,
and yet its protagonists have embarked on an adventure so wild that their very
dwelling comes under peril. Until the two characters agree a temporary ceasefire, pre-school readers can rest assured that there is more to the world around
them than a dog’s life.
Prague, Czech Television – CT Series, 128
pages
ISBN 978-80-7404-156-3
Age 4+
Martin Otevřel (1967) graduated from
the SUPŠ in Uherské Hradiště and works
in animated film as art designer, animator
and director. Together with Calpurnio
Pisón he co-directed the films El bueno de
Cuttlas (1993; 1st Prize at the Bilbao
Festival, Hermína Týrlová Award and
Pierot Award) and Con cien cañones por
banda (1992; jury prize at the Cannes TV
programme festival). With the artist
Janosch he created the feature-length
cartoon film Oh, wie schön ist Panama.
Between 2012–2014 Otevřel made the
third series of the Stepladder and
Spaghettoni bedtime stories. His
illustrations appear in the Mateřídouška
magazine, he also illustrated Jitka
Bušková’s Příběhy s narkolepsií
/Narcolepsy Stories/.
Zdeněk Smetana (1925) studied
privately in Cyril Bouda’s studio and
worked in the field of animated film in
Jiří Trnka’s Bratři v triku studio. He
started illustrating children’s books in the
1970s. His legendary fairy-tale creations
include the two sillies from the Pohádky
z pařezové chaloupky Křemílka
a Vochomůrky /Dwarfs from the Tree-Stump Hut/ (1971), Kubula a Kuba
Kubikula (1931, illustrations 1976) by
Vladislav Vančura and Rákosníček the elf
from Jaromír Kincl’s book series (1975–
–1987), as well as some translated titles,
e.g. Otfried Preussler’s The Little Witch.
Doyen of Czech animated film and
laureate of the Venetian Lion of St. Mark,
Smetana was presented a life-achievement
award at Anifilm in Třeboň in 2014.
34
Klára Pondělíčková
NĚCO TI POVÍM, JOHANE /
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, JOHANNES
Prague, Běžíliška 2014, 52 unnumbered pages
ISBN 978-80-86471-49-5
This gentle and slightly blue variation on the classical theme of the relationship
between the oldest and youngest generation is remarkable not only for the fact
that its two narrators are a granddaughter (or the observer) and a toy teddy bear,
underlining the story’s ingrained tension. In fact, the family has three symbolic
bears: the taciturn grandfather, who, despite all his previous vitality, suddenly
strays in his own thoughts, the teddy bear who drew grandpa’s attention at the
toy-store shop window and was named after the astronomer Kepler, and finally
the tiny plush Cordelia, who is protected by Johannes, the bear knight, from any
and all danger. The hushed colours of Andrea Tachezy’s drawings and collages
serve as backdrop to debuting Klára Pondělíčková’s psychological study in which
the family’s burden is unspoken, perhaps hidden all the way up in the stars, and
yet we do not witness any celestial disharmony. Being immersed in one’s inner
universe may be a symptom of illness or resignation, but if you find a suitable animal friend, he or she will understand.
Klára Pondělíčková (1978) studied
at PF UK and works as specialist
in the law of territorial authorities
and administrative proceedings.
She collaborated on numerous
commentaries on the theory and practice
of administrative proceedings. This is her
first foray into the field of literature for
children and young people.
Andrea Tachezy (1966) – for more
Age 4+
35
Kateřina Schwabiková
Illustrated by Barbora Botková
CESTY DĚTÍ DO STALETÍ 2
Prague, Slovart 2015, 80 pages
ISBN 978-80-7391-166-9
ANEB JAK BĚLA A KUBA PUTOVALI ZA NAŠIMI PANOVNÍKY
KIDS IN THE PAST 2:
/
Age 10+
THE JOURNEY OF BIANCA AND JAMIE TO THE TIME OF OUR KINGS
Kateřina Schwabiková proves her literary prowess in this portrayal of everyday
historical life and mentality – best-appreciated moments in the study of history –, employing all the advantages of play-based learning. When Bianca and
Jamie press the button embellished with a royal crown, which the siblings from
a normal family had initially overlooked in their time machine, a new chapter of
their adventures in the distant past gets written. The two children and their peers
are transported to ten different historical environments, beginning with the palisades of a Great Moravian hillfort, all the way to the Prague Castle’s gardens in
T. G. Masaryk’s early years of presidential tenure. During their travels they learn
what ruling others actually involves. The book’s text, accompanied by comicbook pictures and commentaries, explores various forms of rule, from hereditary succession – whose authority degenerated during absolutist monarchies –
to presidential elections, nowadays often a formal affair in the Czech Republic.
As a result, real control over “public matters” still represents a fairly new concept
to us. The unfolding of the book’s plot coincides with some of the country’s decisive moments, giving the author the opportunity to depict various forms of royalty – we witness the murder of duke Wenceslas, funeral of Charles IV, election
of George of Poděbrady as king or Franz Josef’s wedding.
Kateřina Schwabiková (1978)
graduated in history–elementary
humanities at PedF UK. She works at the
Charles University Institute of History
and translates popular-science literature
from German (using her maiden name
Anděrová). The focus of her historical
research lies in the period of the Hussite
revolution and some aspects of early
modern education. She made her first
contribution to literature for young
people in the field of art-based education
two years ago with the current work’s first
volume entitled Cesta dětí do staletí aneb
Jak Běla a Kuba poznávali naši historii
/Kids in the Past: How Bianca and Jamie
Learned about Our History/.
Barbora Botková (1983) studied
French and art education at the Palacký
University in Olomouc. Besides her
responsibilities as secondary-school
teacher she also makes free-form art,
graphic design and illustrations for
books and comic books. Her other
collaborations besides Kateřina
Schwabiková include books by Petra
Braunová; her pictures also appeared in
the poet Jiří Žáček’s comic book Šípková
Růženka /The Sleeping Beauty/ (2011).
36
Klára Smolíková
Illustrated by Lukáš Fibrich
H.U.S. – HUS ÚPLNĚ SVĚTOVEJ /
H.U.S. – HUS UNAMBIGUOUSLY SUPERLATIVE
Prague, Kalich 2015, 208 pages
ISBN 978-80-7017-218-6
A trip to Constance is at stake for the winner of a competition for the best project
on John Hus, but Petr Mladý, grammar-school student from Tábor, still finds
the task extremely arduous. He dreads his new life in the former stronghold of
the Hussite revolution, to which his family was forced to move from Prague once
his father, a journalist, fell from grace for some professional misconduct. But
when Petr encounters among his schoolmates a very smart girl, he soon learns
that history is alive and lurking behind every corner, sometimes adopting the
form of magical realism. In her effort to emphasise the legacy of the reformist
priest who died a martyr’s death 600 years ago, the agile author of art-based education literature relies on the adolescent readers’ desire to rise above the average. In her prose, the charismatic lyricist of medieval hymns is also pictured
through quotations from his university youth, if only to prove that he, too, was
a normal human being. Every historical period seeks remedies to its own problems in Master John’s legacy, but one of his creeds has steadfastly lasted through
centuries, both in relation to the “Czech question” and with regard to the good
name of Petr’s father: Truth prevails.
Klára Smolíková (1974) studied
aesthetics and cultural studies at FF UK
and her first job was at the Hussite
Museum in Tábor. A primary-education
methodologist and collaborator of leading
children’s magazines, her comic-book
librettos often focus on advocating history
(Horác a Pedro v zemi Bójů /Horace and
Pedro in the Land of the Boii/), factual
learning or financial-literacy education.
She frequently collaborates with the
illustrator Honza Smolík. Their books on
medieval history include Husité /The
Hussites/ (2012), Řemesla /Crafts/
(2013), Jak se staví město /How to Build
a City/ (2014) and Husův dům /The
House of John Hus/ (2015). Their comicbook album Viktorka a vesmírná
dobrodružství /Victoria and Her
Adventures in Space/ was awarded the
2015 Golden Ribbon in its category.
Age 12+
Lukáš Fibrich (1974) graduated in
animation from the Prague FAMU, and in
film and television graphic art from
VŠUP. He is co-author of TV Nova’s logo
and systematically focuses on illustrating
Fraus publishers’ language textbooks,
authoring games and cut-outs. His
illustrations also appeared in Zdeněk
Šmíd’s travelogue Tanec lovců lebek aneb
Proč bychom se nevrátili /The Dance of
the Head Hunters or Why Not Come
Back/ (2011) and his satirical text
Bombarda Joe (2014). Fibrich’s longterm co-operation with the ABC magazine
gave rise to two comic-book albums
starring an enterprising cat: Mourrison
(2006) and Mourrison 2, hrdina bez
kázně a hany /Mourrison 2: (Fl)Aweless/
(2010).
37
Jana Šrámková
ZUZA V ZAHRADÁCH /
SUSIE IN THE GARDENS
Prague, Labyrint / Raketa 2015,
64 unnumbered pages
ISBN 978-80-86803-33-3
It is encouraging to see the many stories authored by young writers drawing
their inspiration from nature and its various forms. Jana Šrámková sets her narrative about little Susie in an urban gardening colony. Although many such places have disappeared under new construction, the garden frequented by Susie
and her parents is still inhabited by a colourful array of diligent vegetable- and
flower-growers. One neglected plot of land, belonging to Old Bella and her black
dog, sticks out from the rest. It looks appealingly dissolute and gradually reveals
some of its secrets, which enter the sphere of the little girl’s dreams. Susie used
to have a key to one of the garden’s trees – its name remains a mystery even to
her peers, for whom the reading of this book will amount to a refreshing outdoors expedition.
Age 5+
Jana Šrámková (1982) studied at the
Evangelical Theology Seminar and
graduated from the Literary Academy in
creative writing and editing. She writes
for the magazines Respekt, A2 and for
the Czech Radio. Her prosaic debut
Hruškadóttir (2008, Jiří Orten Award in
2009) enjoyed considerable acclaim. In
2010 she published the children’s book
Putování žabáka Filemona /Travels of
Philemon the Frog/ and the little books of
fairy tales Kolala petřínská /The Petřín
Hill Kolala/ and O panáčkovi /The Little
Man/ (2014) for the Mikroliška series.
Andrea Tachezy (1966) – for more
38
Ivan Wernisch
Illustrated by Jiří Stach
PLOP! VYVRTIL ŽLAHVOUT PŠUNT I CHLPAL LIQUÉRE /
PLOP! THE LEBOTT’S KORC UNSCROOED, HE UPGUZZELED LIQUEUR
ISBN 978-80-87596-60-9
Works by Ivan Wernisch, who entered the field of literature half a century ago
along with his peers Petr Kabeš, Antonín Brousek or Pavel Šrut, have two characteristic modes. While the first is tinged with existential sadness, the joyful
sources of inspiration of the second one spring from 20th century more and less
avant-garde movements. The latter is also typical of Plop!’s “fine verse and
prose”, in which the author parodies people who are close to him as well as the
general ignoble circumstances, but most importantly of all re-imbues contemporary Czech poetry with original humour full of smirk, slyness and linguistic combinatorics embodied into neologisms. We can reasonably suspect that the poet’s
mystifying playfulness, akin to Christian Morgenstern’s grotesque texts, in combination with Jiří Stach’s pictorial “embellishment”, will prove especially charming for adolescent readers seeking to transgress the boundaries of language in
search of an unrestrained form of expression.
Ivan Wernisch (1942), poet, artist,
translator and editor, studied secondary
school of pottery in Karlovy Vary. He was
barred from further education because of
his family and his opinions during the socalled normalisation period of communist
rule. Following the emotionally intense
poetry of his early poetry collections (e.g.
Zimohrádek /Winter Pavilion/, 1965), he
embarked on the path of playful
mystification using literary forms and
folklore traditions, blending them with
avant-garde approaches, e.g. in Doupě
latinářů /The Latinist Den/ (1992) and
Pekařova noční nůše /The Baker’s Night
Pannier/ (1994). Since Wernisch’s days in
the samizdat, his editing activities focus
on the works of his overlooked or
somewhat obscure fellow authors.
Meander published his anthology Chodit
po provaze je snadné – Ivan Wernisch
mládeži /Walking the Rope Is Easy: Ivan
Wernisch for Young People/ (2011 Most
Beautiful Czech Book). He was awarded
the State Prize for Literature (2012).
Age 12+
Jiří Stach (1944) studied photography at
FAMU. He worked as film photographer
(his collaborations include Menzel’s
Oscar-winning Closely Observed Trains).
The body of his work, seeking inspiration
in surrealism and Arcimboldo’s painting
style, was summarised in a collection
entitled Natura magica (2006) and is on
display in leading museums around the
world. Stach’s illustrations for Meander
publishers appeared in Lenka Uhlířová’s
book Velká cesta Malého pána /Little
Man’s Big Journey/ (2008) or Petr
Stančík’s thriller for vegetarians Mrkev
ho vcucla pod zem /A Carrot Drew Him
Under Ground/ (2013).
39
Jiří Žáček
Illustrated by Adolf Born
CHYTRÉ POHÁDKY PRO MALÉ ROZUMBRADY /
CLEVER FAIRY TALES FOR LITTLE SMARTY
PANTS
Prague, Slovart, 2014, 256 pages
ISBN 978-80-7391-907-8
Jiří Žáček’s interest in collecting various fairy-tale subjects from around the
globe and subjecting them to thematic classification brings us this – the third –
volume of fairy-tale adaptations with Adolf Born’s illustrations. What these stories have in common is sharpness of wit and wisdom that overcomes all malice.
The oldest layer of stories, some of them paraphrases of biblical texts, include
e.g. the Tale of King Salomon. Other stories bring fairy tales and anecdotes in
which female wisdom triumphs over male antagonists – Božena Němcová’s The
Clever Highlands Woman springs to mind; some might even remember the
Slovak tale How a Clever Woman Outwitted the Devil. Žáček also highlights
some of the “wise fools” – a term coined by Emanuel Frynta –, treating us to an
encounter with Nasreddin and Eulenspiegel. Animal pranksters are represented
by a cunning monkey that outwitted a tiger, making it to the book’s pages all the
way from Brasil.
Jiří Žáček (1945) graduated from the
civil engineering department of ČVUT
and until 1991 worked as publishing
editor. His very first poetry books for
children Aprílová škola /April Fool
School/ (1978), Ahoj, moře /Sea Ahoy/
(1980), Kolik má Praha věží /How Many
Towers Does Prague Have?/ (1984) and
Pro slepičí kvoč /That’s Why!/ (1986)
proved highly popular with readers.
Although his style is gradually evolving,
even his more recent books Nemalujte
čerta na zeď /Don’t Paint the Devil on the
Wall/ (2001) or Dobrý den, dobrou noc
/Good Morning, Good Night/ (1998 and
2011) retain their trademark cheery
playfulness. Author of the popular
Slabikář /Primer/ (with Helena
Zmatlíková’s illustrations) and screenplay
for the Krysáci /The Rat Pack/ TV series
(2010), Žáček adapted classical folklore
from all parts of the world in volumes
entitled Hrůzostrašné pohádky pro malé
strašpytlíky /Terrifying Fairy Tales for
Little Scaredy-Cats/ (2011) and
Čarodějné pohádky pro malé kouzelníky
Age 5+
/Magic Fairy Tales for Little Wizards/
(2013). This year he was commended
with the Golden Ribbon for lifetime
achievement.
Adolf Born (1930), painter, author of
graphic art and illustrator, studied at
VŠUP and AVU. His illustrations
appeared in four hundred titles of various
genres for all age categories: in the field of
children’s literature it was mostly Miloš
Macourek’s books, beginning with the
book Jakub a dvě stě dědečků /James
and Two Hundred Grandfathers/ (1963).
His co-operation with Jiří Žáček dates
back to the poet’s debut Aprílová škola
/April Fool School/. He also collaborated
on several TV series (Mach a Šebestová,
1977, in book form in 1982). His works
were exhibited at dozens independent
and collective exhibitions around the
world and honoured with numerous
domestic and foreign awards (Most
Beautiful Book, BIB Golden Apple,
Golden Ribbon, Czech finalist of the
Andersen Award 2008, etc.)
40
WINNERS OF ANNUAL AWARDS IN THE CATEGORY
OF LITERATURE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
2015 GOLDEN RIBBON – WRITERS
Children’s Fiction Category
^ Daniela Fischerová for the book Pohoršovna /Deformatory/ (Mladá fronta) –
see page 14
Fiction for Young People Category
^ Daniela Krolupperová for the book Zločin na Starém Městě pražském
/Crime in Prague’s Old Town/ (Albatros) – see page 25
Non-fiction Literature for Children and Young People Category
^ František Tichý for the book Princ se žlutou hvězdou – Život a podivuhodná
putování Petra Ginze /The Prince with a Yellow Star: The Life and Remarkable
Journeys of Petr Ginz/ (Geum)
Non-fiction Literature for Children and Young People Category
^ Jiří Franta for his illustrations in the book Proč obrazy nepotřebují názvy
/Why Paintings Don’t Need Names/ (Labyrint / Raketa) – see page 16
Artistic Achievement of the Year Category
^ Marie Štumpfová for her illustrations in the book Jak zvířata spí /How Animals
Sleep/ (Baobab) – featured in the 2013/2014 catalogue
2015 GOLDEN RIBBON – COMIC BOOK FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
^ Klára and Jan Smolík for their book Viktorka a vesmírná dobrodružství
/Victoria and Her Adventures in Space/ (Portál) – featured in the 2013/2014
catalogue
Critical Reception of Literature and Art for Children and Young People
Category
^ Tomáš Prokůpek, Pavel Kořínek, Martin Foret & Michal Jareš for the
book Dějiny československého komiksu 20. století, I a II /The History of 20th
Century Czechoslovak Comic-Book Art, vol. I & II/ (Akropolis)
2015 GOLDEN RIBBON – LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
2015 GOLDEN RIBBON – ILLUSTRATORS
Winner
^ Ondřej Horák & Jiří Franta for their book Proč obrazy nepotřebují názvy
/Why Paintings Don’t Need Names/ (Labyrint / Raketa) – see page 16
Books for Young Children Category
^ Andrea Tachezy for her illustrations in the book Bořivoj a blecha Fló
/Balthild and Floh the Flea/ (Albatros) – see page 4
Books for Older Children and Young People Category
^ Tereza Ščerbová for her illustrations in the book Škvíry /Cracks/ (Argo) –
see page 30
^ Jiří Žáček – see page 39
^ Stanislav Kolíbal
2015 MAGNESIA LITERA – BOOK FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE CATEGORY
Other nominees
^ Vratislav Maňák for the book Muž z hodin /The Man from the Clock/ (Albatros)
– featured in the 2013/2014 catalogue
^ Marka Míková for the book Škvíry /Cracks/ (Argo) – see page 30
41
DIRECTORY
PARTNERS
PUBLISHERS
Association of Czech Booksellers and
Publishers
Mariánské náměstí 190/5, P. O. Box 177
110 01 Praha 1
t 224 219 944
e [email protected]
w www.sckn.cz
Albatros
Na Pankráci 1618/30
140 00 Praha 4
t 261 397 200
e [email protected]
w www.albatrosmedia.cz
IBBY Czech Section
c/o Památník národního písemnictví
Strahovské nádvoří 132/1
118 38 Praha 1
e [email protected]
w www.ibby.cz
featured on pages 4–39
Arbor vitae
náměstí Svobody 728/1
160 00 Praha 6
t 602 277 211
e [email protected]
w www.arborvitae.eu
www.czech-art-books.cz
Argo
Milíčova 13
130 00 Praha 3
t 222 781 601
e [email protected]
w www.argo.cz
Baobab
Plavecká 14
128 00 Praha 2
t 222 588 001
e [email protected]
w www.baobab-books.net
Labyrint / Raketa
Jablonecká 715, Box 32
190 00 Praha 9
t 224 922 422
e [email protected]
w www.labyrint.net
Běžíliška – František Havlůj
Na Pískách 13
160 00 Praha 6
t 776 059 005
e [email protected]
w www.beziliska.cz
Meander
Zubatého 1
150 00 Praha 5
t 257 324 232
e [email protected]
w www.meander.cz
Czech Television – CT Series
Kavčí hory
140 70 Praha 4
t 261 137 457
e [email protected]
w www.ceskatelevize.cz
Mladá fronta – Books division
Mezi Vodami 1952/9
143 00 Praha 4
t 225 276 313
e [email protected]
w www.mf.cz; www.kniha.cz
Host
Radlas 5
602 00 Brno
t 545 212 747
e [email protected]
w www.hostbrno.cz
Nakladatelství Andrej Šťastný
Na Paloučku 304
252 45 Zvole u Prahy
t 736 127 510
e [email protected]
w www.andrejstastny.cz
Kalich
Jungmannova 9
110 01 Praha 1
t 224 947 505
e [email protected]
w www.ekalich.cz
Nakladatelství 65. pole
Koněvova 141
130 00 Praha 3
t 267 108 248
e [email protected]
w www.65pole.cz
Knižní klub
c/o Euromedia Group
Nádražní 32
150 00 Praha 5
t 296 536 111, 296 536 662
e [email protected]
w www.bux.cz/knizni-klub
National Gallery in Prague
Publishing Department
Dukelských hrdinů 47
170 00 Praha 7
t 224 301 302
e [email protected]
w www.ngprague.cz/obchod
42
Petrkov
Havlíčkovo nám. 180
580 01 Havlíčkův Brod
t 569 424 540
e [email protected]
w www.knihyhb.cz
Slovart
Oderská 333
196 03 Praha 9
t 266 177 141
e [email protected]
w www.slovart.cz
Triton
Vykáňská 5
100 00 Praha 10
t 226 220 025
e [email protected]
w www.triton-books.cz
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jana Čeňková (1957) graduated from FF
UK, Czech studies–pedagogics, and works at
the journalism department of the FSV UK
Institute of Communication Studies and
Journalism. She specialises in history and
critical reflection of literature and illustration
for children and young people and has
authored numerous book monographs and
studies as well as librettos for exhibitions in
this field. Čeňková was the editor, among
other, of anthologies from the works of
František Hrubín (Křídla lásek mých /All My
Loves’ Wings/, 2010), Karel Jaromír Erben
(Živá voda /Water of Life/, 2011) and the
anthology Závrať – Povídky s napětím
/Vertigo: Stories of Thrill/ (2013). She is the
honorary chairwoman of the IBBY Czech
Section, member of the Czech PEN and
Magnesia Litera civic association, where she
also acted as member of jury.
Petr Matoušek (1968) graduated from FSV
UK, journalism and publishing science. In his
role as literary critic and editor he focuses on
English-language fiction and children’s
literature. He edited the anthology Britská
čítanka – Hedvábný manšestr /The British
Reader: Corduroy of Silk/ (2001, 2004, 2008)
and translates books by the Monty Python
Terry Jones (Pohádky k neuvěření /Fantastic
Stories/, 2014). Matoušek was in charge of the
Nové knihy weekly, worked in the daily Lidové
noviny and his essays and programmes are
featured in Czech newspapers and on the
Vltava radio station. Matoušek is active in the
juries of Magnesia Litera and the Max Brod
Award. He collaborated with leading Czech
publishing houses on the publication of 250
translations from anglophone literatures for
both adults and young people.
Published with kind support from the State Fund for Culture and the Miroslav Šašek Foundation
Catalogues of the Best Children’s Books project are also available at
www.nejlepsiknihydetem.cz
www.facebook.com/NejlepsiKnihyDetem
Selection of Czech Books for Children
and Young People 2014/2015
Text © Jana Čeňková & Petr Matoušek, 2015
Translation © Lukáš Houdek, 2015
Design © Bedřich Vémola, 2015
Published by Children’s Books Committee
of the Association of Czech Booksellers and Publishers
in collaboration with the IBBY Czech Section
in Prague, 2015, as a free-distribution release
Deadline: Sep 21, 2015
Quotations only possible with acknowledgement of author
Number of pages 43
ISBN 978-80-905680-3-7
www.nejlepsiknihydetem.cz
www.facebook.com/NejlepsiKnihyDetem

Selection of Czech Books for Children and Young People 2014/2015

Transcription

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