The children of 1500 Ukrainian refugee families get a native language storybook
On 11 April 2022 a special book launch will be held at the National Széchényi Library (OSZK): with the publication of Móra Publishing House, the Nova Hvylja Association and the OSZK, the support of the Petőfi Cultural Agency (PKÜ) and the execution of the Alföldi Printing House, an Ukrainian language storybook is currently being made.
In 2021 Nova Hvylja, the association of Ukrainian youths and families in Hungary started its series named Népek meséi (’Folk Tales’). In its first part, the five tales of Virág Csenge Zalka’s folk tale collection called Ribizli a világ végén ('Redcurrant at the End of the World') were published in the Ukrainian language. The volume intended for elementary school children won the Children’s Book of Year Award of HUBBY – Hungarian Children’s Book Forum, a domestic association representing the insterests of children’s book and children’s literature profession.
The tale collection covers the entire Hungarian language area from Szigetköz to Székely Land, from Volvodina to Transcarpathia, representing the incredible beauty and richness of Hungarian language tale tradition. Another speciality about the volume is having heroes be active women who are not the victims but the shapers of their own fates. According to the laudation of HUBBY, the tales are excellent, clean, yet dynamic and they speak to and address readers in a modern, living language regardless of age. The first Ukrainian edition of the book was supported by the Erzsébetváros Municipality of Ukraine, the Békéscsaba county town Municipality of Ukraine and the Hungarian government.
With the aim of supporting refugee families of the Ukrainian war, in the wake of this edition the OSZK suggested a collaboration for the Nova Hvylja Association and Móra Publishing House. They publish eight tales from the award-winning storybook of Virág Csenge Zalka in order to give them to 1500 Ukrainian refugee families. The Ukrainian language folk tale collection named Ribizli a világ végén is published with broadened content and a rich imagery compared to the previous edition.
