Czech Books for Children and Young Adults 2020 Illustration © Daniela Olejníková

Czech Books for Children and Young Adults 2020 Illustration © Daniela Olejníková CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 4 CzechLit – Czech Literary Centre 6 David Böhm 8 'A' FOR THE ANTARCTIC – A VIEW FROM THE OTHER SIDE Bára Dočkalová 12 THE SECRET OF PEBBLE MOUNTAIN Jiří Dvořák, Daniela Olejníková 14 WE LIVE HERE! STRANGE DWELLINGS OF ANIMALS AND PEOPLE Petr Koťátko 16 ANNA, THE TALKING BROOK AND OTHER INMATES OF MRS MAJEROVÁ’S INSTITUTION Robin Král, Aneta Františka Holasová 18 TONI AND THE CIRCUS RIDER Daniela Krolupperová 20 CROWN TRAP Radek Malý, Pavel Dvorský, Jiří Grbavčic 22 AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF EXTINCT ANIMALS Vojtěch Matocha 24 DUSTZONE: BLACK MERCURIDE Marka Míková 26 THE HOUSE IN RUGOLO René Nekuda 28 THE STORY MACHINE Markéta Pilátová 30 THE GORILLA’S TALE 2 3 Milada Rezková, Lukáš Urbánek 32 DOCTOR GULL IN FULL Taťána Rubášová, Jindřich Janíček 34 WILLIAM & MERIWETHER: THE UNEXPECTED ROBOT EXODUS Tereza Říčanová 36 THIS IS ISTANBUL Stanislav Setinský 38 THIS IS JERUSALEM Petr Stančík 40 H2O AND THE MAD-EYE TREASURE Ester Stará, Marie Urbánková 42 LET’S GOOO! Petr Svobodný, Robin Král, Nikola Logosová, Zuzana Lednická 44 HERE COMES THE DOCTOR! HISTORY OF MEDICINE IN SEVEN DAYS Grants for publishing Czech literature abroad 48 Travel grants 50 Selected literary awards in the Czech Republic 51 The Moravian Library 52 INTRODUCTION Thirty years ago, President Václav of what is produced (year on year, Havel opened his first New Year’s the number of titles by domestic Address with the words, “Our coun- authors is between 400 and 500). try is not flourishing”. He went on to We have plenty to offer the inter- warn that four decades of commu- national reading public, too, as our nist lies would take at least as long catalogue testifies. We are proud as that to put right in the minds again to be among Europe’s lead- of citizens. Regrettably, when we ers in this field. consider today’s polarized soci- One of the most ambitious new ety, with its scepticism towards works is 'A' for the Antarctic (see multiculturalism and tendency to p. 8), a concept encyclopaedia by fall for cheap manipulation, we are artist David Böhm that is a throw- forced to admit that his prophecy back to the 1960s, when the Czech has come true. One indicator which imagination set the tone in the does not reflect current disillusion- field of educational materials with ment with the barely mature open an artistic bent. Since the 1960s, society of the Czech Republic, children’s taste has changed, and however, concerns the liveliness of children’s minds are now more the publishing business, which at easily distracted. In showing the the moment of Havel’s appearance importance of preserving a place on 1 January 1990 was returning on the planet where nature can to the norms of freedom – with an make its own decisions, the au- appetite that suggested a depu- thor has borne in mind the child of tation of magicians had doused it today’s liking for the video clip. If with the ‘water of life’ of the fairy thieving humanity were to get in tales. And this trend persists to nature’s way, it would probably end such a degree that experts talk of up like the natural world of Taťána an overheated market. It has long Rubášová’s comics The Unexpected been the case that between 16,000 Robot Exodus (see p. 34), where the and 18,000 new book titles are vision of catastrophe is illustrated published annually, which in terms by Jindřich Janíček, winner of the of per capita consumption places Czech Grand Design prize. As things the Czech Republic (population 10 are, we have done great damage million) in the top five in the world. to the diversity of species on our Each year, the average citizen planet, as the An Encyclopaedia of buys 11 books, while the number Extinct Animals (see p. 22), with text of public libraries (one per 2,000 by Radek Malý, shows in grim but inhabitants), where more books splendid pictures. As we face up may be borrowed, is unparalleled to climate change, we have much elsewhere. The number of authors/ to learn from our neighbours in the artists and the quality of the print- natural world; indeed, according to ed product are on the rise – and Jiří Dvořák and Daniela Olejníková’s this is especially so with literature imaginative guide We Live Here! for children and young adults, a (see p. 14), we have been learning genre which accounts for one ninth from them systematically since the 4 5 dawn of time. Voted a Most Beauti- succeeds in blocking the phone ful Czech Book of 2018, it contains signal and summoning the spirit of a simple aid that shows us what will the Golem. Set one hundred years happen if each of us continues to ago, Daniela Krolupperová’s Crown live at the expense of others. Trap (see p. 20) demonstrates to Differences of opinion are best the reader that when in Prague it is overcome by a return to our roots. important to keep your eyes peeled A case in point is philosopher Petr and your wits about you, regard- Koťátko’s tale of the benevolent less of the era you find yourself in. Mrs Majerová (see p. 16), which Another remarkably creative assures us that the world has lost book and winner of the Golden Rib- nothing of the linguistic magic by bon award is Here Comes the Doc- which Lewis Carroll thrilled the tor! (see p. 44), an unconventional child’s imagination a century and a history of medicine by a team of half ago. In the company of Tereza authors. The foldout picture-book Říčanová and Stanislav Setinský Let’s Gooo! (see p. 42) enters an in- we can head to the heart of Istan- teractive world of transport, where bul (see p. 36) and Jerusalem (see very young readers can give the p. 38) respectively, ancient places imagination free rein; its illustrator where people of different cultures Marie Urbánková was nominated have been trying to get along for for a Czech Grand Design award. two millennia. These books with More advanced readers can prac- original illustrations are the latest tise their skills with René Nekuda’s in an artists’ series begun by The Story Machine (see p. 28), in renowned promoter of thoughtful which a storytelling lab becomes tourism Miroslav Šašek. And what an instrument of discussion and of Prague? It may be fourth on understanding, setting the reader the list of the world’s most-visited on a course that is surely the start cities, but its mystique continues of something good. In his momen- to enthral foreigners and writers, tous essay ‘A Word about Words’, who would wish to defend it from Václav Havel discusses the miracle the ‘post-tourism’ of selfie-hunt- of human speech. Logocentrism ers and Hell’s Angels on Segways. still has the power to cure the ills In his tale of the grotesque H2O of western civilization. What better and the Mad-eye Treasure (see p. time than now – when much of Eu- 40), wily Petr Stančik praises the rope is fumbling – for us to heed it? city from below, mole-like, while in the second part of the Dustzone Petr Matoušek trilogy (see p. 24), Vojtěch Matocha (for the authors of the catalogue) CzechLit – Czech Literary Centre is a state-funded organisation supporting and promoting Czech literature abroad and in the Czech Republic. The centre is a section of the Moravian Library. The Czech Literary Centre: • Runs the bilingual website • Promotes prose, literature for czechlit.cz with information children and young adults, po- about books, authors, grants, etry, drama, comics, non-fiction residencies and Czech literature and new forms of literature news • Acts as an information hub for • Cooperates with the network of foreign publishers, translators, Czech Centres, which promote Czech studies specialists, event Czech culture abroad, as well organisers and others interest- as with other governmental and ed in Czech literature non-governmental cultural and non-profit organisations and • Provides grants for authors to individuals attend cultural events abroad • Is involved in the presentation • Cooperates on international lit- of Czech literature at book fairs erature and translation projects abroad in cooperation with its with partner institutions abroad parent institution and in the Czech Republic • Holds the annual Susanna Roth • Organises residencies for for- Award for young translators of eign translators, Czech studies Czech literature specialists and authors CONTACT US: Czech Literary Centre Národní dům nám. Míru 9 120 00 Prague 2 Czech Republic www.czechlit.cz [email protected] 6 7 David Böhm 'A' FOR THE ANTARCTIC – A VIEW FROM THE OTHER SIDE Who hasn’t dreamed at least once of a team of polar explorers and artists what it would be like to live on a great (including comics artist Jiří Franta) white plain, with no trees and no for their valuable advice. The result permanent population? The continent of Böhm’s efforts at popularization at the very bottom of the Southern of his theme is a formally excellent Hemisphere forces people to think encyclopaedia which covers far more about the limits of human percep- than the harsh meteorological condi- tion and the bravery of those who set tions of the Antarctic and the resilient out through the blizzard for the icy fauna that live there; it is also about desert—above all Roald Amundsen, its interdependence with the global conqueror of the South Pole, and his ecosystem in which the continent plays ill-fated rival Robert Falcon Scott. such a crucial role, to the exclusion of At the end of the book, David Böhm armies.

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