Original scientific paper
Children's Books in Foreign Languages in the Croatian Cultural Space Before 1945
Berislav Majhut
; The Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zagreb
Sanja Lovrić Kralj
; The Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zagreb
Abstract
This essay focuses on foreign children's books in Croatia considering their presence, ways of reading and the influence on the development of Croatian children's literature. Since books by foreign authors, published abroad and in a foreign language, are not included in bibliographies of Croatian children’s books, this study relies on the research methods of the history of books and history of reading practices. On the basis of objective indicators of the presence of foreign books on the Croatian market (book catalogues, book prizes, comments on the situation on the book market) and individual experiences (autobiographical notes, diaries, correspondence) the status and significance of foreign books in Croatian children’s literature before 1945 will be reconstructed. Owing to social (and civilizational), historical and technological changes, the ways in which children’s books, both Croatian and foreign, reached their target readership underwent drastic changes over time. Although the share of foreign books on the market, and in the cultural space, and their role in the development of Croatian children’s literature, varied, they were constantly present before 1945. Their continuous presence both in bookshops and in private and public libraries had an impact not only on the choice of books translated, but also on the way of designing Croatian children’s books and high artisan standards that Croatian creators of books (printers, illustrators, editors and bookbinders) had to attain. In addition, they had an impact on Croatian writers of children’s literature, not only by setting the trends to be followed, but also by setting high artistic standards to be reached.
Keywords
foreign children’s books in Croatia; children’s literature in translation; children’s books in translation; Croatian children’s literature; German children’s books in Croatia
Hrčak ID:
212329
URI
Publication date:
11.12.2018.
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