Whose Story? Translating the Verbal and the Visual in Literature for Young Readers

This book is based on the discussions carried out in two seminars on the translation of children’s literature, coordinated by Maria González Davies and led by Riitta Oittinen. The main focus finally revolved around four questions: a) Tackling the challenges posed by translating children’s literature, both picturebooks and books with illustrations, and the range of strategies available to solve specific issues; b) the special characteristics involved in reading aloud, its emotional dimension, and the sphere it occupies between private and public reading; c) the interpretation and manipulation of child images; and, d) the role of the translator, publishers and mediators as active or passive agents whose decisions may finally mirror the images projected by the authors of the source books. This volume is also professionally-oriented and presents examples that underline the interaction between theory and practice. The topics range from Bible translation, to translating the classics, such as Beatrix Potter’s tales and fairytales, fantasy worlds for young adults as depicted in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, or novels such as those by Christine Nöstlinger, as well as stories with a psychological and social function such as the African war tales. Finally, it includes didactic applications that help enhance an awareness of the issues involved.