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Best Lithuanian Children’s Books
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Best Lithuanian Children’s Books 2011–2013 Selection of the Lithuanian Section of IBBY Published with love by The Lithuanian Culture Institute Printed in Lithuania by “Standartų spaustuvė” Paper fo cusa rt n atura l 1 15 gsm Edition 500 Texts by Roma Kišū n a itė and Jolita Liškevič ienė Translated by Jayd e W ill Layout by Sig u tė Ch lebinskaitė Page 3: Lina Dūdaitė, sketch, 2014
© The Lithuanian Culture Institute, 2015 www.lituania-bologna.eu www.koperator.lt
There Are No “Small Literatures”
The Lithuanian Section of IBBY
The situation of children’s literature generally varies between large and small countries, and older and younger countries. Older and larger countries have a longer literary tradition, and more writers and artists are making books for children. These countries often limit themselves to the work of their own writers, while translations make up a rather small part of what is published in their book market. Lithuania, which regained its independence 25 years ago, like most other young countries, is very open to the cultures of other countries, and in this particular case to children’s literature. Translated children’s literature makes up approximately 60% of the Lithuanian book market each year. The translations are made from various languages, and not just from those of EU countries. Of course books from other countries around the world only enrich the reading selection for children in Lithuania. However these books shouldn’t overshadow the work of writers and artists from one’s native country. Our belief, which is that there are great works not only in big countries and that there are no small literatures, is based on our efforts to examine, promote and foster the living and breathing process that is Lithuanian children’s literature. The Lithuanian Section of IBBY , which was established in 1992, focuses particular attention on Lithuanian children’s literature. Currently it has initiated a total of nine prizes for its writers, artists and literary critics. Each year on International Children’s Literature Day (2 April), the Lithuanian Section of IBBY awards prizes such as Book of the Year for Children and Young Adults, Most Beautiful Book of the Year, Book of the Year for the Smallest Readers, Poetry Book of the Year, and Informational Book of the Year, among others. It has been already eight years that Lithuanian readers, among them children and young adults, have chosen the Books of the Year, which are new books by Lithuanian writers that they liked the most. The authors of these books receive their awards during the Vilnius Book Fair. Ten years ago the Lithuanian Ministry of Education and Science established the Children’s Book Award for a writer or an artist sometimes for their work over the last three years. Since 2011 the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence has given out the Patriot Prize for works that promote civic pride and patriotism. This catalogue presents children’s books by Lithuanian authors from 2011–2013 that have garnered the above-mentioned awards as well as other prizes (some works have received multiple awards, which are indicated in the book descriptions). In other words, you will find the best works that Lithuanian authors and artists have made for children over the last few years. Works that are worth a read not just for Lithuanian readers, but for you.
Violeta Pa lč inskait ė
Muzika troliui Music for a Troll Kęst utis Kaspa rav i č i us
Sapnų katytė Dream Kitty Vladas Bra ziūn as S ig utė Chlebin skait ė
Kuosos Kro gyvenimas ir atvirkščiai The Life of Kro the Jackdaw and Vice Versa Nomeda Ma rč ėn a it ė
Lėlė The Doll Lina Dūda it ė
Brolių Grimų pasakos The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales Vytautas V. La n dsbergis Ieva Ba bila it ė
Kiškis Pranciškus be abejo Pranciškus the Rabbit Without a Doubt
Muzika troliui Music for a Troll Author: Violeta Palčinskaitė Illustrator: Lina Eitmantytė-Valužienė Publisher: Nieko rimto, www.niekorimto.lt Vilnius, 2011 Famous children’s writer Violeta Palčinskaitė (1943) wrote this novella-length tale that was inspired by a journey through Norway, the land of trolls. She writes about a remote town in Norway, where during the darkest time of the year people don’t even think to turn off the light, even if no one is at home, as it makes passersby feel safer and better. Palčinskaitė, conveying the impressions of a lonely traveller in Norway so picturesquely, expands the subtle plot of this adventure artistically. And the border that divides fairy tale from reality, memory from dream, is barely perceptible. The traveller is accompanied by a relentless desire to find a girl that had disappeared when she was little, a small pianist who a troll dragged to Sorė Morė Castle. It’s not hard to believe that one day she meets a local troll named Molis who is dishevelled with long messy hair. However he is not like his ancestors, because all modern trolls are cultivated and educated (at least that is what they think). In return for the important question about the mysterious castle, Molis the troll begins to talk and give tasks to her one after another – to listen to nature, and listen attentively to the melodies and discover the names of the musical works that composer Grieg wrote especially for the trolls. The book’s illustrations seek to convey the literary content of the text – in choosing the appropriate colours of moss and range of shades, and making the illustrations with ink and water-colours, this northern troll takes on a few traits that are characteristic of Lithuanian folk art. u Book of the Year for Children and Young Adults,
Lithuanian Section of IBBY u Prize for Children’s Literature,
Ministry of Education and Science
96 pages, hardback 220 × 280 mm ISBN 978-609-441-004-8 Age: 9+
Sapnų katytė Dream Kitty Author and illustrator: Kęstutis Kasparavičius Publisher: Nieko rimto, www.niekorimto.lt Vilnius, 2011 Piksė the Kitty lives in Dreamland. Dreamland is a place that gives off the scent of music, where people listen to silence, and where no one is in a rush, because it is impossible to be late. Unfortunately, no one has dreams at night. Piksė notices that every day a few things disappear, and then appear once again. It becomes clear that this beautiful, rich, and borderless land is like a warehouse where things that are being dreamed are living. And they disappear when someone dreams them. What does it look it when, somewhere between the earth and the sky, those that dream meet those that are being dreamed? Kasparavičius constructs a lyrical and poetic story in a flowing manner using a traditional narrative model, and the nonsensical story that he creates is not only pleasant, but even seems logical. And for children, this fairy tale is a story about wonderful dreams in which cats talk, dogs bake apple pies and mothers know how to fly. Kęstutis Kasparavičius (1954) is a true master in his profession both as an artist and as a writer. His artistic style is easily recognisable, while his work is well-known not only in Lithuania, but also abroad. His book illustrations are marked by a clear composition and wonderfully controlled water-colour techniques. His illustrations are bathed in a good mood, and set themselves apart with their wit and humour. There are elements of the nonsensical that are characteristic of his work, along with the personification of objects. u Laureate of Children’s Book of the Year Competition
63 pages, hardback 250 × 220 mm ISBN 978-609-441-036-9 Age: 5+
Kuosos Kro gyvenimas ir atvirkščiai The Life of Kro the Jackdaw and Vice Versa Author: Vladas Braziūnas Illustrator: Sigutė Chlebinskaitė Publisher: Versus aureus, www.versus.lt Vilnius, 2011 The poet Vladas Braziūnas (1952) likes birds, and is especially fond of jackdaws. He has written a series of poems about the life of Kro the Jackdaw. Together with artist Sigutė Chlebinskaitė, he has written a book to help readers learn about birds, shapes and poems. He recreates the unique world of Kro, and tells us about the bird’s thoughts and feelings. Sometimes the jackdaw is what he calls a "Home Bird", sometimes she travels “To the Baltic Sea”, visits the “Writers’ Home” in Sweden, or goes on “A Journey across Vast Oceans”. Sometimes she “Sees the Movement of the Universe” and reflects “On Love and Death”. Sometimes she is an “Optimist”, and sometimes a “Pessimist”. These cheerful poems, full of philosophical wisdom, will be equally appreciated by children, parents and grandparents. The book, a combination of high artistic quality in both its words and images, and fascinating for both children and adults, was created by Sigutė Chlebinskaitė (1977). You can see a clear Eastern component of beauty and logic that is in it. The two strong colours which have the same intensity, as if they were divided into ornamental patterns that are different only in small nuances, from which a jackaw egg is formed – is a symbol of beginnings and endings. S. Chlebinskaitė invites the reader to play with a tangram at the end of the book, a kind of puzzle that was developed in ancient China, along with poems that show the ever-changing cycle of a bird’s life. u Poetry Book of the Year, Lithuanian Section of IBBY u Prize for Children’s Poetry, 2012 Poetry Spring Festival u Diploma, Vilnius 2011 Most Beautiful Book Competition
72 pages, hardback 230 × 150 mm ISBN 978-9955-34-289-2 Age: 8+
Lėlė The Doll Author and illustrator: Nomeda Marčėnaitė Publisher: Tyto alba, www.tytoalba.lt Vilnius, 2011 A five-year-old girl, whose mother has left to work abroad, lives with her grandmother in the countryside. She finds the head of a porcelain doll in the attic of the house, and makes a body for the doll from sackcloth. This doll becomes her best friend. They are always together. They explore the surrounding village, and wait for the girl’s mother to return. The girl (who likes changing her name) looks for a new body for her doll. The story is told through the eyes of a child, but it also deals with serious issues. The author talks about an individual’s search for identity, about how parents and children relate to each other, about love and faith, and about old age and death, in a delicate and sympathetic manner, just as a little child perceives these things. Artist and TV show host Nomeda Marčėnaitė (1964) is well-known in Lithuania for her brightly-coloured ceramic art, however with this book she reveals herself as a unique book artist – she shows her talent in creating new fonts, her skills as a photographer, and as a writer through the main character, a doll that she created, along with her collage compositions. The book becomes a vivid collage of the life of the girl and the doll. With the illustrations, the reader can go through the book like he’s walking through the old wooden house of his grandmother, in which there are many nooks and crannies, undiscovered treasures in the attic, or horrible secrets in the cellar. u Book of the Year for the Smallest Readers,
Lithuanian Section of IBBY u Most Significant Debut in Children’s Literature u Patriot Prize u Diploma, Vilnius 2011 Most Beautiful Book Competition
81 pages, hardback 250 × 210 mm ISBN 978-9986-16-862-1 Age: 6+
Pasakos. Broliai Grimai The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales Illustrator: Lina Dūdaitė Publisher: Alma littera, www.almalittera.lt Vilnius, 2011 The fairy tales collected in the early 19th century by brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, two famous linguists, are famous the world over, with fans from all generations. This collection includes 40 fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm. This book sets itself apart with its illustrations, which were made by artist and illustrator Lina Dūdaitė (1974), who is wellknown in Lithuania. The 18 large compositions transport us back to the times of the Brothers Grimm, which is conveyed with the traits and clothing of the characters, along with the architecture and details of the surroundings. The illustrations are marked by a subtle colour range, expressive characters, surprising compositional angles, and light effects; these elements provide additional spirit and mesmerising aspect to the tales. The black and white vignettes at the beginning of every tale are creative and precise summaries of the tales. u Most Beautiful Book, Lithuanian Section of IBBY u Main Prize, Vilnius 2011 Most Beautiful Book Competition u IBBY Honour List’2014
236 pages, hardback 230 × 300 mm ISBN 978-609-01-0173-5 Age: 5+
Kiškis Pranciškus be abejo Pranciškus the Rabbit Without a Doubt Author: Vytautas V. Landsbergis Illustrator: Ieva Babilaitė Publisher: Dominicus Lituanus, www.dominicus.lt Vilnius, 2011 Vytautas V. Landsbergis (1962) is a master of the nonsense tale, the genre that suits his unorthodox view of life best. This book is a series of joyful and witty stories about a rabbit called Pranciškus. This childishly naughty offspring of the hare family wakes up one morning all alone, as his parents have gone to the forest to pick bilberries. Determined to find them, Pranciškus sets off for Bilberry Meadow, and has scary and unexpected adventures along the way. He finds out many strange things about the forest, and receives much advice. He becomes a wise and and experienced rabbit, who knows that no matter what, the rules of the rabbits will prevail. He then succeeds in everything, including fighting ghosts, rescuing the Sun, and finding his parents. Artist Ieva Babilaitė (1973) is one of the most productive children’s book artists in Lithuania. Her style could be described as ever-changing. She looks for a new artistic solution and style for each book she does. The illustrations in this book stand out for their unique colour scheme and seamless concept. The book is full of rabbit images done with the hand of a true professional, using watercolours, and highlighted with a pencil, coal or ink. The expressions and moods of the book’s main character are elicited with these tools. The contour-like illustrations convey the character of the rabbit – his eternal fear for shadows that form everywhere and their unexpected shapes. You can clearly feel the hand of Babilaitė in this book, from the format chosen for the book to the artistic font, which sometimes grows into separate illustrations. There are large and also smaller drawings in the book that go into the seamless decor of the book and create a continuous story about the life of Pranciškus the Rabbit, without a doubt. u Most Artistically Illustrated Book of the Year,
Lithuanian Section of IBBY
127 pages, hardback 220 Ă— 250 mm ISBN 978-9955-811-41-1 Age: 4+
Lina Žutautė
Ferdinandas ir Pū Ferdinand and Paw Kristina Gudon ytė
Ida iš šešėlių sodo Ida From the Garden of Shadows Ing rida Vi zba ra it ė
Karžygiuko istorija The Story of the Little Warrior Česlovas Nava kauskas
Burbulų lietus Bubble Rain Tomas S. B utkus
Bumba Dumba ir Visatos sukūrimas Bumba Dumba and the Creation of the Universe Kęst utis Nava kas Marija Smirnova it ė
Udo ir Dra niekaip nesusikalba Udo and Dra Just Can’t Get Along Pauli us Juodišius
Apelsinus penktadieniais sapnuoti draudžiama It’s Forbidden to Dream about Oranges on Friday Antanas Ši mkus Ieva Ba bila it ė
Vaizdai iš gyvenimo bobulytės ir kt. Scenes from Granny's Life and Other Adventures Vilė Vėl
Kaip mes išgarsėjome How We Became Famous Ri mantas Roli a
Žiemos išdaigos Winter Frolicking
Ferdinandas ir Pū Ferdinand and Paw Author and illustrator: Lina Žutautė Publisher: Alma littera, www.almalittera.lt Vilnius, 2012 It’s a story about the kind of friendship when someone is ready to experience the biggest adventure of their life, or you agree to sacrifice 23 moustaches, all for your friend! That’s what it was like for two friends, Ferdinand the Cat, who “was temporarily stuck on the threshold of fame”, and Paw the Dog. Forced by circumstance, Ferdinand decides to leave the Junkyard and travel, while Paw, who feels that he is Ferdinand's best friend, prepares himself to travel with him to the ends of the earth. Together they wander through forests, and wade through a river. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately in this case, Paw ends up in trouble, however loyal friendship prevails and finally both friends find their way home. Full and happy, they sprawl out on the meadow and philosophise: why is the season when spider webs fly about is called “Indian summer” and not “Cat summer”? Or “Dog summer?” The story of this book is vivid and playful. Artist Lina Žutautė (1973) combines several strategies of creating images – the illustrations are joined together using various materials, drawing, painting, and real decoration – all of this is put into a seamless story that is fun and visual. The illustrations are playful, while the various compositions have surprising angles, points of view and unexpected plot twists, along with humour. Žutautė has created an elegant font for the chapter names. The book is seamless and tasteful in its colour solutions, dynamic character of its illustrations and content. u Book of the Year, Lithuanian Section of IBBY u IBBY Honour List 2014, Writers’ Category u Prize for Children’s Literature, Ministry of Education
and Science u Diploma, Vilnius 2012 Most Beautiful Book Competition
92 pages, hardback 215 × 265 mm ISBN 978-609-01-0688-4 Age: 6+
Ida iš šešėlių sodo Ida From the Garden of Shadows Author: Kristina Gudonytė Publisher: Tyto alba, www.tytoalba.lt Vilnius, 2012 A teenager named Sofija, who is a good student, is writing a book about a girl the same age as her. Who exactly is Ida Derma, the main character of her book? She’s a teenager who was found lying unconscious in a ditch next to a car that had flipped over. It was written in her case file that she had been arrested nine times... most often for theft from stores and breaking into flats. There were cases of street fights, and hooliganism. It becomes clear that Ida is a person who has NOTHING – neither a home, nor parents, not even a past. A recovering Ida goes to live at Sofija’s home and turns the orderly life of the family upside-down. It’s then that the carousel of events begins to turn: attacks of jealousy, complaining, intrigue and drama. The revealing of Ida's mystical abilities and a kidnapping worthy of an action film add even more thrill to the mix. The book’s author, who is writer, artist and director Kristina Gudonytė (1949), convincingly deals with themes that all teenagers care about: the relationship between parents and their children, love, jealousy, trust and betrayal, immortality and death. Young readers will like the strong intrigue, lively dialogue, rich language and provoking discussion: why didn’t the kids tell the truth? u Laureate of the Young Adults’ Book of the Year Competition
192 pages, hardback 140 × 210 mm ISBN 978-9986-16-895-9 Age: 13+
Karžygiuko istorija The Story of the Little Warrior Author: Ingrida Vizbaraitė Illustrator: Marija Smirnovaitė Publisher: Nieko rimto, www.niekorimto.lt Vilnius, 2012 The Little Warrior and his little horse lived in a beautiful meadow and took care of its surroundings every day: they rode upon the dew drops, combed the fur of the bumblebees, powdered the wings of the butterflies, and provided help to the ants. But one day they left for an adventure. It was as if their journey began out of nothing – they were simply searching for a round, lonely little cloud. After all, each grand and important story starts from a feeling and observation that it has “to mean something”. Believing the prophesy of Skarabėjus, they have to get past a swamp, a friendly village with inhabitants that are not all so friendly, a forest of cactuses and many other difficulties and dangers. The story, which is full of sympathy and care, is followed with a poetic and uncomplicated language. What is accentuated is that it’s not as important to find as much as it’s important to preserve things, and that sometimes one needs a small or even a big miracle for this. The success of this book by Ingrida Vizbaraitė (1978) was strengthened by the illustrations of Marija Smirnovaitė. Her illustrations are of a collage-like nature, created with the help of computers, embellished by hand, and sometimes use photographic images. u Laureate of the Children’s Book of the Year Competition
56 pages, hardback 210 × 210 mm ISBN 978-609-441-080-2 Age: 4+
Burbulų lietus Bubble Rain Author: Česlovas Navakauskas Illustator: Živilė Šimėnienė Publisher: Alma littera, www.almalittera.lt Vilnius, 2012 Česlovas Navakauskas (1951) is considered to be a poet who writes using traditional forms. His poems are short, clear, and rhyme in a smooth and easygoing manner. This poetry collection is made up of three parts. All of the poems in the first part are about things that are wet. And where there are wet things, there is water – there are little frogs, along with water bubbles and elephants taking a bath. In the second part, entitled “Buzzing About! Clowning Around!”, the reader will experience many adventures and find out many secrets – from scattered alphabets to the death of nouns. In the third part, called “On Grasshopper Swings”, there is a whole flock of birds that are swinging on poems, a group that is made even more interesting with the addition of two mice, one that is a pessimist and the other an optimist. u Poetry Book of the Year, Lithuanian Section of IBBY
40 pages, hardback 220 × 300 mm ISBN 978-609-01-0702-7 Age: 5+
Udo ir Dra niekaip nesusikalba Udo and Dra Just Can’t Get Along Author: Kęstutis Navakas Illustrator: Marija Smirnovaitė Publisher: Jūsų Flintas, www.flintas.lt Kaunas, 2012 Udo is a mosquito, and Dra is an elephant. The mosquito sits on the elephant's head and begins to think out loud. Having no idea where that sound is coming from, the elephant also begins to talk loudly. However one is very big, while the other is too small that they could see one another. Both are afraid that some unseen thing is talking right beside them. After all, it happens in life that sometimes we don’t notice one another and just don’t understand. This book, which is about the strange instance of how Udo and Dra meet, playfully tells about differences and being different. This illustrated story teaches children how important it is to be someone that notices, listens and understands others that are next to them. The contrasting relationship between largeness and smallness is depicted aptly in the book’s illustrations. The book’s main characters are expressive not only in their proportional images, but set themselves apart with their brilliants colours, because the story takes place somewhere in Africa, where everything is vivid and the sun is always shining. The illustrations were made with the help of a computer, and the illustrations’ surface has been softened with various drawn-on decoration. The creators of the book are famous award-winning poet, essayist, and literary critic Kęstutis Navakas (1964) and young children’s book illustrator Marija Smirnovaitė. This book with illustrations is already the second book to come from the fascinating cooperation between this creative duo. u Book of the Year for the Smallest Readers,
Lithuanian Section of IBBY
12 pages, hardback 220 × 220 mm ISBN 978-609-419-325-5 Age: 3+
Bumba Dumba ir Visatos sukūrimas Bumba Dumba and the Creation of the Universe Author and illustrator: Tomas S. Butkus Publisher: Vario burnos, www.varioburnos.com Vilnius, 2012 Butkus created this book by merging together childlike wonder, adult-like contemplation and age-old wisdom. The book is very poetic and full of the most fantastic images, which are constantly seen from a different angle by an ever astonished main character. Tomas S. Butkus (1975), the book’s author and illustrator, is an architect by profession, and his illustrations are unique architectural landscapes made up of geometric shapes, which a human-like egg wanders through. Butkus kept to a certain rhythm in the book, creating unique and ever-changing compositions, and adhering to a stylistic whole. His illustrations are like a land of geometric shapes – minimal, constructive, rhythmical and as yet-to-be-seen. In this way, Butkus tries to show how special the world is that a child sees during the very first moment when he wakes up: almost as if it’s familiar, yet-to-be experienced, and full of the promise of the strangest events and meetings. u Most Significant Debut in Children’s Literature u Diploma, Vilnius 2012 Most Beautiful Book Competition
48 pages, hardback 180 × 250 mm ISBN 978-609-95464-0-7 Age: 6+
Penktadieniais apelsinus sapnuoti draudžiama It’s Forbidden to Dream about Oranges on Friday Authors and illustrator: Paulius Juodišius Publisher: Nieko rimto, www.niekorimto.lt Vilnius, 2012 Paulius Juodišius (1969) is a well-known artist, illustrator and writer. Since 2000 he has created illustrations for more than 20 children’s books, with most of them for books he has authored. His characters are unique little creations, living in fantastical constructions and sculpture-like structures. This book is a literary fairy tale in the style of the nonsensical about the strange land of Bumbambilia, where everything happens in a different way. It appears to be a land that has been created in order to go against that which is understandable. Its inhabitants make it a fascinating place: Magdule the Knitter knits everything, from dreams to new inhabitants for the land, while Timbas Limbas bakes homes instead of cakes, and the land’s leader, Lipotapas, creates laws while he is dreaming that will put the life of Bumbambilians in order. This book was illustrated with a style that is somewhat different than what Juodišius typically employs. All of the characters he created became like figures from paintings. What dominate in the illustrations are monochrome brown semitones, highlighting only the main characters of the plot. The book’s illustrations are framed with a border so they look like old classical paintings. u Most Beautiful Book of the Year, Lithuanian Section of IBBY
72 pages, hardback 220 × 310 mm ISBN 978-609-441-032-1 Age: 8+
Vaizdai iš gyvenimo bobulytės ir kt. Scenes from Granny's Life and Other Adventures Author: Antanas Šimkus Illustrator: Ieva Babilaitė Publisher: Bernardinai.lt, www.bernardinai.lt/knygynas Vilnius, 2012 Poet, literature researcher and publicist Antanas Šimkus (1977) talks to children about old age with humour. The images and events depicted in this book are from the daily life of an elderly woman. Šimkus creates stanzas with broken-up lines of poetry that depict Granny Stasė, who “isn’t like all the others”. She is not bad, she just gets worked up a bit at times. There are simply situations that we are used to solving in the same way, however Granny deals with these problems and challenges that pop up every day in such a way that even a genius wouldn’t be able to manage: she goes up a ladder to look for spring, she rescues a cat in an untraditional manner, and takes pupils and the “statistical crowd” over pedestrian crosses among other things. The book distinguishes itself strongly with how it looks and its artistic illustrations, which are black and white drawings with bold red spots. The illustrations were created by artist Ieva Babilaitė (1973). The faces, wheels, thread, eyes, and bubbles are holes that are united playfully into a book, which give it a playful and attractive character. The book is fascinating, dynamic, original and artistic. u Most Artistically Illustrated Poetry Book of the Year, Lithuanian Section of IBBY u Main Prize, Vilnius 2012 Most Beautiful Book Competition u Children’s Poetry Prize, 2013 Poetry Spring Festival
44 pages, hardback 300 × 190 mm ISBN 978-609-8086-02-7 Age: 7+
Kaip mes išgarsėjome How We Became Famous Author: Vilė Vėl Illustrator: Agnė Kananaitienė Publisher: Metodika Vilnius, 2012 This book is created from life and about life, the kind everyone lives. Vilė Vėl, who is an experienced pedagogue, tells of unexpected life situations and the everyday problems of children and their feelings and discoveries. She subtly merges adventures and psychology in her book, and shows the relationships between parents and children as well as between peers in a convincing manner. The three novella-like stories “Goda”, “How We Became Famous”, and “Brother” are about home, one’s homeland, language, and emigration. She shows in her book that the world is complex starting right from childhood, and the most important values remain spiritual values, things common to all people, and the historical past, which is preserved only by a child that loves his country. Vėl was honoured for her true affection for her homeland with the Patriot Prize. Vilė Vėl is the pseudonym used by Vilija Dailidienė (1953) when she writes books for children and adults. u The Patriot Prize u Prize for Children’s Literature, the Ministry of Education
and Science
127 pages, hardback 160 × 220 mm ISBN 978-609-444-082-3 Age: 9+
Žiemos išdaigos Winter Frolicking Illustrator: Rimantas Rolia Publisher: Alma littera, www.almalittera.lt Vilnius, 2012
32 pages, hardback 310 × 220 mm ISBN 978-9986-16-795-2 Age: 5+
This is a collection of poems and folk tales by Lithuanian poets about ice-covered winters and the mischief it causes. The playful poems of Kostas Kubilinskas, Salomėja Nėris, and Julius Janonis give off the scent of pines and newly-fallen snow. Here, surrounded in the swaddling clothes of the tale, there are dwarfs that are sleeping in the pine forests, animals of the forest jumping into the lost glove of an old man, and a mischievous rabbit that teases the frost until his eyes burst. Lithuanian book artist Rimantas Rolia (1970) creates vivid characters. His illustrations are marked by a refined professionalism, which beautifully fit with the text, while his characters are expressive and with their traits become the dominant figures in the illustrations. In this book, winter is conveyed through witty situations. For example, in the Latvian tale about a bet between frost and a rabbit, Rolia conveys the plot precisely: when frost wants to freeze the rabbit and the rabbit quickly rolls around in trying to avoid the grips of frost, Rolia simply transforms the rabbit into a running snowball. The book is printed on bluish paper, which conveys frost and the color of winter. u Diploma, Vilnius 2012 Most Beautiful Book Competition
Danguolė Ka ndrotie nė
Spintos istorijos Stories from the Cupboard Gražin a Sviderskyt ė
Darius ir Girėnas. Istorija ir legenda Darius and Girėnas. History and Legend Ne rin ga Va itkutė
Vaivorykščių arkos Arks of the Rainbows Marius Zava dskis
Pirštinė The Glove Marija Smirnova it ė
Aukso kirvukas The Little Golden Axe Andrius Seselskas
Vilniaus padavimai Vilnius Legends Kęst utis Kaspa ravi č i us
Povandeninė istorija The Underwater Story
Spintos istorijos Stories from the Cupboard Author: Danguolė Kandrotienė Illustrator: Jurgita Rancevienė Publisher: Terra Publica, www.terrapublica.lt Kaunas, 2013 Danguolė Kandrotienė (1975) is the director of a publishing house, editor, compiler of publications for tourists, as well as a writer. Seven year-old Emily lives in a big old house. She discovers an old cupboard full of clothes in the attic of the house that are no longer worn and items that no one uses anymore. Objects begin telling stories, such as a dress, a blouse, an umbrella, an overcoat, a handbag, a bus ticket and other things, as well as the cupboard. By personifying and depicting objects, the writer subtly reflects episodes of her family history, emphasizes certain moral values and discusses existential questions. The idea that old things played and still play an important role in our lives is particularly fascinating in this literary fairy tale. Emily convinces her mom to wear a forgotten black dress for the wedding of her aunt Violeta, and talks her dad into taking the old umbrella with him, and also is able to get him to put on his grandfather's overcoat. In this way, she is able to bring joy to the life of these things. u Book of the Year for Children and Young Adults,
Lithuanian Section of IBBY
96 pages, hardback 246 × 174 mm ISBN 978-609-8090-11-6 Age: 8+
Darius ir Girėnas. Istorija ir legenda Darius and Girėnas. History and Legend Author: Gražina Sviderskytė Illustrator: Justinas Ališauskas Publisher: Baltos lankos, www.baltoslankos.lt Vilnius, 2013 The story, which is based on documental material, deals with legendary pilots Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas and one of the most important events of Lithuanian history in the 20th century. These Lithuanian pilots took off from an airport in New York with their experimental airplane called the Lituanica in 1933, and successfully flew over the Atlantic, however they died over Germany in unclear circumstances, with barely 650 km left to their final destination of Kaunas. Even today there is no believable explanation as to why the Lituanica crashed after having flown the majority of the 7,000 km that was deemed to be the hardest part of the trip. The official version was that the catastrophe happened due to a storm or engine failure. The book provides a broad context of the time, and introduces the story, which includes the biographies of these famous Lithuanian pilots. The book provides interesting details that brought about their interest in planes, analyses the origins of their crazy ideas to fly over the Atlantic and tries to reveal what really happened and stopped these pilots from reaching their final destination. At the end of the book we find a will written by the pilots themselves. Journalist and documentary film director Gražina Sviderskytė (1973) puts the historical facts in short, clear sentences, and doesn’t weigh the story down with complex concepts. She is able to keep a wonderful balance – the book is not only for children, but for the entire family. u Informational Book of the Year, Lithuanian Section of IBBY
72 pages, hardback 210 ×210 mm ISBN 978-9955-23-681-8 Age: 8+
Pirštinė The Glove Author and illustrator: Marius Zavadskis Publisher: Versus aureus, www.versus.lt Vilnius, 2013 The wonderful imagination of artist Marius Zavadskis (1979) has given birth to an unusually lively and playful tale about an animal that one night makes his home in a glove that was lost and puts on a feast in it. The book was considered as an exceptional publication for small readers in 2013, a book that has a feeling of a fresh vitality and elegance. The solutions reached by this young artist are wonderful and artistic. A rectangular format was chosen for the book, in which the glove “house” fits beautifully, and which brings out the characteristics of the glove’s guests. The harmonious colours and creative compositional ideas make the book a true artistic adventure. u Book of the Year for the Smallest Readers,
Lithuanian Section of IBBY u Diploma, Vilnius 2013 Most Beautiful Book Competition
31 pages, hardback 150 × 260mm ISBN 978-9955-34-399-8 Age: 3+
Vaivorykščių arkos Arks of the Rainbows Author: Neringa Vaitkutė Illustrator: Lina Eitmantytė-Valužienė Publisher: Nieko rimto, www.niekorimto.lt Vilnius, 2013 Writer Neringa Vaitkutė (1974) provides a key for the reader to enter into a breathtaking fantasy world where a connection with nature is extremely important. There are scenes in the book where people can fly and live in trees that have been tamed, prophets predict the future, adventurers create kites on the shores of the ocean, smart people find discoveries, and moles ride on worms in underground caves. It is likely that Vaitkutė’s experience as a biology teacher helped her to create the rich and special world of Middle Terrace. Each corner of this world has its own geography and biology, with its own traditions, customs and family structures. The silver forest was once visited by a flock of ghostly birds with red eyes and since that time the city began to disappear. The contemplating trees either went crazy or died, while the rivers dried up, though it is always raining. One night all the mirrors were broken, and the adults began to vanish. When the moment came to go into the decisive battle against the dark forces and attempt to preserve the little bit of light that was left, Vaitkutė the writer calls upon children to take the lead! She uses images interwoven with magic to enchant her readers, packs facts into their heads from the history of Middle Terrace and encourages them to believe that even if they are small, they can achieve alot. “Arks of the Rainbows” is the debut of Neringa Vaitkutė and the first part of a trilogy. u Most Significant Debut in Children’s Literature
Lithuanian Section of IBBY
376 pages, hardback 180 × 250 mm ISBN 978-609-441-109-0 Age: 10+
Aukso kirvukas The Little Golden Axe Lietuvių liaudies pasakos Illustrator: Marija Smirnovaitė Publisher: Nieko rimto, www.niekorimto.lt Vilnius, 2013 Miracles, jokes and lies swap places in Lithuanian folk tales, and when Good and Evil meet, courage, wisdom and wit save one from harm. In this way the poor find treasure, orphans find a home, and what remains lasts “happily and beautifully for a very long time”. The illustrations were made by young artist Marija Smirnovaitė, who focused on conveying the archaic character and specific mood of the tales. The illustrations were done on a computer, and are of two kinds – illustrations that either take up a full page, revealing the plot of the tale, or small headpieces for the tales. Smirnovaitė combines the lyricism of the mood and naivety of drawing, and joins them with some elements of surrealism. With the colour selection for the illustrations, she strives to convey the colours and beauty of Lithuania’s nature and forests. u Most Beautiful Book of the Year, Lithuanian Section of IBBY
112 pages, hardback 220 × 270 mm ISBN 978-609-441-120-5 Age: 8+
Vilniaus padavimai Vilnius Legends Illustrator: Andrius Seselskas Publisher: Nieko rimto, www.niekorimto.lt Vilnius, 2013 The legends of Vilnius recorded in this book include those from the times of paganism up until the 19th century. Vilnius has safeguarded a number of secrets during these many centuries: about the cursed treasures in the caves of Tower Hill, the accursed in St. John’s Church, about the ghost of Barbora Radvilaitė that can be summoned, and many more. The illustrations were made by young artist Andrius Seselskas (1978), which is his first book that he has illustrated, and the first where one was successfully able to reveal the special mood of the city of Vilnius with pencil – the aura of a city that is a little intimidating, but magical and mysterious, which is conveyed with the help of naïve and surrealistic drawings, bright architectural spacing and a dark color scheme in the drawings. u Best Stylistically Ilustrated Book for Young Adults, Lithuanian Section of IBBY
104 pages, hardback 205 × 270 mm ISBN 978-609-441-160-1 Age: 10+
Povandeninė istorija The Underwater Story Author and illustrator: Kęstutis Kasparavičius Publisher: Nieko rimto, www.niekorimto.lt Vilnius, 2013
This time Kasparavičius’s imagination transports the reader into the blue waters of the sea, a home for a host of funny little fish. Huge storms raging at sea leave a massive mess in their wake, and the little fish have to restore order to everything again. When the storms come frequently, the little fish have no time to rest – boy, they look so alive! When the storm grounds a steam boat, they have to grab the anchor and give it a good pull. When steep waves carry away a lonely island, the fish have to bring the poor soul back. And when dark clouds cover the sun, they have to scatter them immediately. And though the little fish toil with joy, sometimes they too dream of a nice vacation in a different sea. Luckily Octopus, who lives at the very bottom of the sea, lends some helping arms. Kęstutis Kasparavičius (1954) is one of most famous Lithuanian children’s book illustrators, making illustrations for children’s books since 1984. He has illustrated more than 50 children’s books, many of which he authored. He has illustrated books for a number of publishers both in Lithuania and abroad, and the books he has written and illustrated have been translated into 26 languages. His illustrations have garnered a number of awards. This book is yet another example of his work, which takes you to the enchanting world of the sea. u Main Award, Vilnius 2013 Most Beautiful Book Competition
32 pages, hardback 250 × 220 mm ISBN 978-609-441-100-7 Age: 4+