Children's Books, Serbia

I don't know about you, but I love children's literature even though it's been decades since I belonged to that age group. But there is something so beautiful in it, something so unspoilt and pure, that you rarely, if ever see in the books for the older generations.

 

The first of this kind that comes to mind is "The Little Prince". I'm pretty sure that if at least not everyone has read it, that everyone has heard about it. A book that was on the mandatory reading list in the fourth grade, that equals to being 10 years old. A book I really hated back then cos I couldnt understand it, it was so odd and incomprehensible to my 10 year-old-brain. A book I read again around 10 years later and fell in love with it. To this day I still dont know why,, even though it is considered as a children's book, it is put on the reading list at such young age - I just really dont think that brain can get fully immersed in its beauty. 

Another delight of a book (that I read in my adult years) is The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett - if you haven't read it, I really really recommend it - sometimes it takes me by surprise how much of what is considered to be children's literature, is so suitable for adults as well.

And while I'm at it - Neil Gaiman's Coraline is another lovely example to add here :)

In 2010, the theme for the EUROPA's stamps was Children's Books, and Serbia issued these lovely stamps and FDC. A number of titles are hidden in the drawings - can you name them?

And if there is a children's book you'd recommend, please do so - I'd love to read it!

Before I take you to the other children-related posts for today, here is what Serbian post had to say on the subject of Children's Literature:

-Children's Literature singles out as a special literary layer from the aspect of its function and the reader's age. Its main characteristics is belonging to an age where personality is being shaped. The spirit of this particular form of literature is impregnated by signs that are characteristic for childhood: freedom, illusory understanding of live and environment, joy, game, basicness, simplicity, liveliness, etc. Its world is ennobled by joyous charms and composed of fine threads of children's spirit. The main trait of this literary branch is actually one of the decisive roles in child's life. We are here talking about the implementation of beauty, goodness and strength into their spirit: about the art of awakening the curiosity of young minds, learning how to embrace the world with love, and to release the accumulated emotions. The little reader is a young creature who comprehends the world in a different manner and by laws of a different logic. It contemplates and experiences the world though his dreamer's eyes.

The aroused imagination leads the child towards unreachable heights and develops its sensibility. As a driving force of children's discovering of the world, the imagination represents the most powerful means for introducing them into life.

The fame of dream and reality, impossible and supernatural is receptive to the heart of the little reader. The wild and bold imagination broadens its perspectives, frees its thoughts, forms its emotions, enables the comprehension of reality, conjures up to the unknown and invisible, and makes possible the identification with literary heroes.

The imagination creates a new world over which reign other laws of man and nature. 

Check out the other posts here 

Franklin the Turtle, Canada

I should seriously get back to the scheduled posts, cos Sundays end up being days I am away from the laptop and unable to join on time the Sunday Stamps game. (just a note to self for next Sunday at least...)

Well, we have reached the letter F on our journey, and for today I have this adorable cover issued by Canada Post on 11th May 2012, portraying a really cute character called Franklin the Turtle, a little reptile who encourages the children to 'come out of their shells' (I am not familiar with these books or TV series but I'm pretty sure some of you are).
The books were written by Paulette Bourgeois and illustrated by Brenda Clark, based on which later a TV series was produced. 
The main character is of course Franklin the Turtle, while on the stamps you can also see his best friend the Bear, his friends the Beaver and the Snail and (probably) his little sister Hariett.

Now in case just as me you were confused by reading Franklin Benjamin on the stamps and wondering what the hell this guy had anything to do with this character... well, it turns out that Franklin is known as Benjamin to its French-Canadian readers... you really couldn't have made it any more confusing guys :D :D :D But at least, mystery has been solved :))

Well lets go over to Sunday Stamps now and see if there are some other confusing/ambiguous stories of this kind :P

Bicentennial of the birth of Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), Macedonia

Since today's theme at Viridan's is free to choose, I knew what mine would revolve around to...however, it was not that easy to decide what would be most suitable, since I have no actual stamps related to the event (I dont even know if any such stamps have been issued), so this in a way was closest to what I think would be appropriate...

and the actual event is that September 30 is the International Translation Day...and being a translator by vocation, I did want to commemorate it somehow today. So this FDC issued by the Macedonian postal service seemed to fit into the subject, since translations and books go together...and even though children's literature is really specific and does require loads of skills and knowledge to be conveyed the right way, Id really love to actually have the chance one day and work on the translation of Andersen's works. I enjoyed reading some of his stories when I was little (the Little Mermaid is actually by Andersen, and that Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen is actually there since Andersen was Danish).
Some other famous stories by him are for example The Princess and the Pea (boy, I LOVED reading this one over and over again when i was little...i was amused by her sensitivity to something as small as a pea grain), then the Ugly Duckling (yup, another one of my childhood's favourites, which taught me a lot I think)....or The Little Match-girl...probably one of the saddest of his stories...I am the kind of person who so much gets involved into the books she reads, I found this one really traumatic...I mean, a child is reading about another child dying on New Year's eve..do you know how shocking it feels to kids? Still, due to the fact Andersen's stories can really touch the reader's heart, is why i love and appreciate his work, and it would be a real challenge to be able to convey that effect into Macedonian. If someone thinks that translator's work is easy....trust me, it is EVERYTHING but easy...but it is very creative and you get to learn so many new things all the time, and that's why I love it...now, as for the pressure and the insane deadlines and low pays...well, thats a whole different story :)
And while we are already on the subject...for those who may not know...translation and interpreting are two different things...translation is the written production of text, while interpretation is the one which totally fries your brain out, whether it be consecutive or simultaneous (and esp if you need to interpret Italians, that's when you feel like killing someone..). I have nothing against Italians or anything...but boy, they talk sooo fast, that it is just so difficult to follow and keep the train of thought, catch notes and interpret it all afterwards without forgetting what you actually wanted to say...but well, I love that part of my job as well....just yesterday I had to do this pres-conference..with all the media...I was terrified to death (as I always am)...but the moment I put the headphones on and start talking, the fear disappears and I get totally absorbed by the thrill and beauty of interpreting and nothing else seems to matter anymore.....it just gives an enormous satisfaction when done right :)

ok, I blabbered more than usual about myself...but this is like, my day..and I just couldnt help it :)

btw, this FDC was issued to commemorate 200 years since Andersen's birth.

btw2...if anyone has any stamps/cards/anything related to translation/interpreting...PLEASE contact me! Thanks!!

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EUROPA, Liechtenstein

Dear Sara sent me this very nice envelope from Liechtenstein with the EUROPA stamps from 2010. You know (probably) that EUROPA is not my primary theme of collection, however, I can never say no to a nice cover with EUROPA stamps. And the envelope is so fitting to the theme :)

For the 2010 theme, Liechtenstein immortalised on a commemorative stamp a classic of Liechtenstein children’s literature: “Lisa and Max” (face value CHF 1.40). Since 1992, when the first book in this series (“Der Wunschhund“/“The Perfect Dog”) appeared, these popular picture-books have followed the twins Lisa and Max and their dog Mischa on their adventures in Liechtenstein. Each of the stories published to date takes place in a different month and in a different one of the Principality’s eleven communities. Each of these monthly books focuses on a distinctive Liechtenstein tradition: “The Shrovetide Procession”, “The Spark Sunday Witch”, “The Easter Treasure”, “The Birthday Castle”, “The Phantom of the Corpus Christi Procession”, “The Mountain Walk”, “The Prince’s Birthday”, “The Return from the Mountains”. In 2011 the series will be continued with the October book. In 2007 the “Lisa and Max Fairy-tale Trail” was opened in Malbun in the Liechtenstein Alps.

The subject depicted on the stamp and designed by Mariagrazia Orlandini is that illustrated on the title page of the August story “The Prince’s Birthday” which appeared in 2001. The “Prince’s Birthday” is synonymous with Liechtenstein’s national holiday, celebrated every year on 15th August. This festive occasion, which was first held in 1940 and arose from combining the Feast of the Assumption (15th August) with the birthday of the then Prince Franz Josef II (16th August), has since 1990 always taken the same form: The official act of state begins with an open-air mass followed by festive speeches on the castle meadow. Afterwards the Prince and Princess invite everyone to a public reception in the castle gardens. In the early afternoon in the centre of Vaduz the informal celebrations begin, which every year bring thousands of visitors into the “Städtle” and whose climax includes a firework display from the castle rock.

technical details:

Date of Issue:         6 September 2010
Subject:                 Europa 2010 - For Children
Width:                   30.0 mm
Height:                   34.0 mm
Denomination:        1.40 CHF
Number in set:       1
Layout/Format:      sheet of 20
Perforations:          14 by 14

EUROPA, Estonia

An EUROPA CEPT cover I received from Janek.

Well, actually, im not sure if this was intended to be sent as a cover, since the main purpose of sending this was on what was INSIDE...but still, it turned out to be a perfect item to post it here as well :)
Im not gonna speak of the Macedonian issue with the EUROPA stamps...every year, same story...even though i should be happy i managed to get my hands on this year's stamp,  i did miss the FDC.
But ill show that one another time....lets focus on Estonia today.

The Estonian post office issued two stamps this year (with normal value, unlike the Macedonian).
As you know (if you are a philatelist), this year's theme for the EUROPA's was Children's books.

The middle of the 19th century can be regarded as the beginning of the Estonian literature for children although secular stories for children had been published before, notably by Friedrich Gustav Arvelius in 1782 and by Otto Willem Masing in 1795. The author of the first Estonian book of fiction for children is Carl Körber and that of the first poetry book Johann Voldemar Jannsen. Like everywhere else, Estonian children`s books often have very beautiful and imag-inative illustratsions and some of the illustrators have won inernational acclaim, Vive Tolli and Jaan Tammsaar being perhaps known the best. The postage stamps feature illustratsions by Viive Noor and Jüri Mildeberg, while the FDC has a new edition of Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald`s Old Estonian Fair Tales (first published 1866) with illustratsions by Günter Reindorff.

Denomination: 9.00 - (0,58 euros)
Date: 06.05.2010
Print: offset
Designer: Jaan Saar
Perforation: 14 : 13¾
Sheets: 2 x 5
Quantity issued: 75 000