At London Book Fair this year, there’s a panel discussion on marketing new formats in children’s literature, with a particular focus on the wonderful Bicki-Books from the Emma Press: a series of postcard-sized picture books aimed at children aged 3+, with each book featuring the work of a different Latvian artist alongside a classic Latvian poem.
This event, on Thursday 12 March, seemed a good excuse for a catch-up on all the kid lit and YA titles available in English translation from Latvian – it’s a growing list!
Have you read any? Please tweet us with your thoughts on kid lit from Latvia!
PICTURE BOOKS
ONE HOUSE FOR ALL
By Inese Zandere & Juris Petraskevics, translated by Sabine Ozole and edited by Lawrence Schimel (Book Island)
QUEEN OF SEAGULLS
by Ruta Briede, tr. Elina Braslina (The Emma Press, 2018)
Published in Latvian as: Kaiju karalienes noslepums (Liels un mazs, 2017)
THE DISCOVERY THAT NEVER WAS
By Mārtiņš Zutis, translated by Sabīne Ozola and edited by Lawrence Schimel (Centrala, 2020)
THE DOG WHO FOUND SORROW
by Rūta Briede & Elīna Brasliņa (The Emma Press, 2018)
First published as Suns, kurs atrada skumjas (Liels un mazs, 2018)
ALL BETTER!
by Inese Zandere, illustrated by Reinis Pētersons, retold in English by Catherine Ann Cullen (Little Island, February 2019)
THE KIOSK
written and illustrated by Anete Melece (Gecko Press, forthcoming October 2020 )
BICKI BOOKS
BICKI BOOKS Set 1
Bicki Bucki
by Janis Baltvilks and illustrated by Reinis Petersons
Calm Beasts
by Herberts Dobre and illustrated by Gita Treice
Topsy-Turvy Tasks
by Maija Laukmane and illustrated by Sabine Moore
The Door Wizard
by Pēters Brūveris and illustrated by Paulis Liepa
Ice Cream
written by Arnolds Auziņš and illustrated by Līva Piterāne
Naughty Gnat
by Valdis Grenkovs and illustrated by Zane Zlemeša
translated into English by Kate Wakeling, Uldis Balodis and Žanete Vēvere Pasqualini
BICKI BOOKS Set 2
Secret
Story by Jāzeps Osmanis, illustrations by Ingrīda Pičukāne
Potato Potato
Story by Vitauts Ļūdēns, illustrations by Ieva Jurjāne
Mole
Story by Vitauts Ļūdēns, illustrations by Dita Pence
The Tall Tale of a Mischievous Mushroom Picker
Story by Inese Zandere, illustrations by Edmunds Jansons
Emil
Story by Inga Gaile Illustrations by Anna Zvaigzne
I want a little puppy dog
Story by Žanete Vēvere Pasqualini and Kaija Straumanis, translated into English by Kate Wakeling
MIDDLE GRADE
DOG TOWN
By Luize Pastore, tr. Zanete Vevere Pasqualini (Firefly, 2018)
First published in Latvian as Maskackas stasts (Neputns Ltd, 2013)
THE GIRL WHO LEARNED ALL THE LANGUAGES OF THE WORLD
by Ieva Flamingo, translated by Zanete Vevere Pasqualini, illustrated by Chein Shyan Lee (The Emma Press, 2019)
First published as Meitene, kura maceja visas pasaules valodas (Petergailis, 2012)
TEEN / YOUNG ADULT
THE SECRET BOX
by Daina Tabūna, translated by Jayde Will, with illustrations by Mark Andrew Webber (The Emma Press, 2017)
Three stories from Pirmā reize (Mansards, 2014): ‘Deals with God’ (‘Darījumi ar Dievu’), ‘The Secret Box’ (‘Slepenā kaste’) and ‘The Spleen, My Favourite Organ’ (‘Liesa, mans mīļākais organs’).
DOOM 94
by Jānis Joņevs, translated by Kaija Straumanis (Wrecking Ball Press, 2018)
POETRY
THE NOISY CLASSROOM
by Ieva Flamingo, Vivianna Maria Staņislavska tr. Žanete Vēvere Pasqualini, Sara Smith, Richard O’Brien (The Emma Press, 2017)
First published as Skala klase (Petergalis, 2015)
THE BOOK OF CLOUDS
by Juris Kronbergs, translated by Maria Rozite and Richard O’Brien, illustrated by Anete Melece (The Emma Press, 2018)
First published as Makonu gramata (Liels un Mazs, 2010)
ALL BETTER!
by Inese Zandere, illustrated by Reinis Pētersons, poems in English by Catherine Ann Cullen (Little Island, February 2019)
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