Poland
200
Jaromir, Adam (text)
Cichowska, Gabriela (illus.)
Słoniątko (Baby Elephant)
Warszawa: Muchomor, 2010. – [32] p.
ISBN 978-83-89774-41-5
(German parallel edition: Fantje. Hannover: Gimpel, 2011)
Elephant – Outsider – Journey – Search for identity
This is the typical tale of a character who sets off to find both a home and
himself. In this case, a shy little white elephant, who neither enjoys mud
baths nor thinks spraying water through his trunk is much fun, plucks up the
courage to go on a journey. He takes five macadamia nuts as means of payment
and travels from Mombasa via Amsterdam to Meißen in Germany. He ends up in a
china shop, yet unlike the proverbial bull, he doesn’t shatter any china
there; instead, he meets a herd of little white elephants among whom he
finally feels at home. Adam Jaromir’s short story is adorned with witty and
ingenious details – e.g. on his journey, the elephant spontaneously decides
to get one ear pierced. The wonderful illustrations by Gabriela Cichowska,
which thanks to the book’s large format can be fully appreciated, further
add to the story’s great charm. (Age: 3+)
201
Kiereś, Emilia (text.)
Musierowicz, Małgorzata (illus.)
Srebrny dzwoneczek (The little silver bell)
Łódź: Akapit Press, 2010. – 119 p.
ISBN 978-83-62199-20-4
Childhood – Ideal world – Trust
Summer, holidays in the countryside, playing outdoors: In her debut novel,
Emilia Kiereś carefully and quietly sketches an ideal childhood without
turning it into kitsch. Little Marysia spends her summer at her aunt’s place
while her parents are getting ready for her brother’s birth. The girl loves
helping in the garden and exploring every corner; yet, she is shy when she
meets other people, and she is terrified of her first school year. An old
woman who lives in a nearby hut gradually gains Marysia’s trust. Eventually,
Marysia befriends the neighbours’ girl Dorota, who is the same age as she is,
and learns that everybody is afraid of something – even Marysia’s aunt, who
seems to have something on her mind, too. (Age: 7+)
202
Mizielińska, Aleksandra / Mizieliński, Daniel / Byliniak, Maciej (text)
Mizielińska, Aleksandra / Mizieliński, Daniel (illus.)
Co z ciebie wyrośnie? (What will become of you?)
Warszawa: Dwie Siostry, 2010. – [136] p.
ISBN 978-83-60850-45-9
Profession – Job profile
An extraordinary font, typographical quotations from comic strips or film
posters, and crudely comical, seemingly archaic wood-cut-like illustrations;
even without further content, these alone would ensure the readers’ complete
satisfaction. Yet the authors of the internationally renowned non-fiction
book “D.O.M.E.K.” (2009; Engl. ed. H.O.U.S.E.) also present a highly amusing
read about professions that will make readers rub their eyes in wonder and
surprise. Children as well as undecided graduates are offered a creative
bunch of possible answers to their parents’ question of “What do you want to
be?” Fire fighter and doctor are now a thing of the past; instead, golf ball
diver, dog food examiner, vegetable carver, chicken-sexer, exorcist, and
mystery shopper will become the new dream professions. (Age: 7+)
203
Strzałkowska, Małgorzata (text)
Fąfrowicz, Piotr (illus.)
Zielony i Nikt (Green and Nobody)
Warszawa: Bajka 2009. – [20] p.
ISBN 978-83-61824-13-8
Reclusion – Isolation – Loneliness
In a dried-up well lives Nobody. Day in day out, he follows the rays of
sunlight dancing along the well’s round walls, the movement of the tree tops
that bend low over its rim, and the shimmering moonlight at night. When one
day, the voice of Green reaches down to him, Nobody reluctantly leaves his
world, discovers a whole universe, becomes aware of the narrowness of his
former horizon, and decides never to return to his well. This highly poetic
parable of self-inflicted (?) reclusion and how to overcome it, told in a
quiet voice and wonderful, calm pictures, was the 2009 children’s book of
the year in Poland. It shows the great potential of Bajka, a young
publishing house that received the children’s book of the year award again
in 2010. (Age: 3+)