Literature Across Frontiers

Transcript, the European Internet Review of Books and Writing, launched its new edition featuring children's literature from the less widely diffused languages and cultures of Europe, which still struggle to attain an international audience. This issue includes an extract from Pierre J. Mejlak's Rih Isfel in French and in English, and two short stories by Clare Azzopardi and Trevor Zahra. Transcript is a Literature Across Frontiers publication:

There is no denying the pleasure that the British author J.K. Rowling and the German author Cornelia Funke have brought to children throughout Europe, and indeed across the world, over the past few years.

In this age of global publishing, however, children's literature from the less widely diffused languages and cultures of Europe often still struggles to attain an international audience, although not for lack of talent.

In this issue, Transcript is pleased to showcase brilliant children's writing and illustration from Malta, Slovakia, Slovenia and Catalonia. In the article 'More countries, better books', we hear a plea for more international cooperation between small publishers from Mladen Jandrlic, head of the Zürich literary agency books & rights. And in 'The Farrera Job', we spotlight a unique international children's book project, 'Anna and Niko', organised by Literature Across Frontiers in partnership with cultural institutes from across Europe. The wonderful Slovenian illustrator Lila Prap grants us an interview, and we review a French-language picture book from Quebec which we feel is worthy of a wider international audience...