Project duration: October 2020–December 2021

List of works (translation into Slovene):
– Arnfinn Kolerud: Snillionen I Milijonček za prijaznost. Translation from Norwegian by Darko Čuden
– Jenny Jägerfeld: Comedy queen / Kraljica komedije. Translation from Swedish by Danni Stražar
– Barbro Lindgren in il. Eva Eriksson: Sagan om den Lilla Farbrorn / Zgodba o starem možu. Translation from Swedish by Danni Stražar
– Roddy Doyle: Wilderness / Divjina. Translation from English by Tina Mahkota

The programme of our Zala publishing is focused on children’s and youth literature, which is why we chose 4 titles by reputable authors and translators. Our project is titled Upside Down. Every upbringing is actually an upside-down world, for better or worse, everywhere in the world, in every European country: it is full of laughter, hope, even loss and getting on one’s own two feet, of finding one’s place under the sun. The aim of the project is to bring excellent translations of high-quality European books to young Slovenian readers. Selected books, some for children and some for young people, tell stories of growing up in various European countries, namely Sweden, Norway and Ireland. The titles are intended for children between the ages of 5 and 18. The stories and characters are compelling and depict growing up and living in other countries. And yet these are stories of growing up, which share fundamental issues with the whole of Europe. We have chosen from award-winning works by renowned authors that bring hope, open doors, horizons, yet still present the reality of today’s life to young people. All selected works are multifaceted, offering numerous opportunities for reflection and conversation – between peers and between different generations. Only in this way can young people develop their (critical) view of the world and constructive thinking about it.

This is not literature that would, on its own, invite young people to reach for it. We thought carefully about the promotion, from including conventional and e-tools, from reading to music, from visits by authors and translators to cooperation with Ljubljana Puppet theatre (LGL), NGO Gallery (KUD Galerija C.C.U) and other collaborators from various cultural fields.

We did not reach for the literature with the EU prize for literature, the latter works are intended for adults. We strictly want to follow the path we have outlined: to educate young readers into critical, constructively thinking and active adults.