WHITE RAVEN
We’ve had to wait a little for a picture book from Slovenia’s great illustrator Alenka Sottler (b.1958), but the wait is over. The result of a collaboration between Sottler and author and children’s poet Anja Štefan (b. 1969), “Drobtine iz mišje doline” (Crumbs from mouse valley) has arrived. This collection of children’s verse received the 2017 Slovenian Book Design Award. Sottler stamped a multitude of colourful fingerprints onto paper to masterfully and cleverly illustrate texts about the culinary joys (hazelnuts, beans, cheese!) and seasonal routines of the mice, with snow in winter and swinging in summer. Animals, houses, paths, grasses… she dabs all these things mouse-like onto the pages with her fingers. In this way she creates a world in harmony with the simple poems, which are often only one stanza and ideally suited for younger children.
TUNES FROM MOUSEDALE DUNES written by Anja Štefan and illustrated by Alenka Sottler
is a children book with a collection of poems for small children. The mice are bringing with them
a message about how little we need for a beautiful and creative life! Immediately after its release in 2017, the little mouse fingerprint book won the hearts of children, parents and juries and became the most awarded children's book in Slovenia and has since experienced three reprints. See some mice heroes from this book also on: https://www.alenkasottler.com/gallery/for-children.html
is a children book with a collection of poems for small children. The mice are bringing with them
a message about how little we need for a beautiful and creative life! Immediately after its release in 2017, the little mouse fingerprint book won the hearts of children, parents and juries and became the most awarded children's book in Slovenia and has since experienced three reprints. See some mice heroes from this book also on: https://www.alenkasottler.com/gallery/for-children.html
Everything Should Be Made as Simple as Possible, But Not Simpler! Albert Einstein
Cover of the children book "Mice Valley Crumbs"
The Scribe
Go, my paw, and write
ditties for the mice,
weave the mousy worlds
in a thread of words.
Translated into English by Nada Grošelj
Watch out, tiny mause, watch out!
Icy Winter Breezes
Icy winter breezes grow
bolder day by day,
fire, burn, don't let my tail
freeze and drop away.
Sooner, later – every year
winter tiptoes in,
if I tend my fire well,
no harm comes to me.
Pluck
Pitty patty, thud thud thud,
our mouse has so much pluck,
she is one who never fears
bears or bees or thunder peals,
never fears a swamp or brook:
when she's taken a good look,
nosed through every nook and chink,
she goes – Home! What did you think?
Peas
A mouse that's gorged herself
on peas becomes a threat:
at each step thunder rumbles
and everybody tumbles.
You can see Anja Štefan narati
Writers
Two Drummers
Sketch of a mouse on a swing
Sketch for cheese-eating mice
Sketch for a hazelnut mouse
Sketch of a mouse on a swing
Lucky charm mause finds a four-leafed clover
A small thumbnail made sideways
See some mice heroes from this book also on: https://www.alenkasottler.com/gallery/for-children.html
Crumbs from Mause Valley were given the main prize GOLDEN PEAR 2018 for original Slovenian youth fiction book. Gold pear is a sign of the quality of children's and youth books. According to the editorial board, which publishes a Handbook for Reading Quality Youth Books every year, those books that stand out in content and execution are ranked among the best editions of the year and are entitled to the Golden Pear sign.
