Today Brigita Orel inroduces four Slovenian wordless picture books that provide wonderful opportunities for creative story-telling in any language.

by Brigita Orel

Slovenian books rarely get translated into other languages and when they do, it’s usually into the languages of our neighbouring countries, such as Italian, German, and Croatian. Rarely are they translated into English.

Two wordless picture books from Slovenia have been published in the English-speaking market, and I have included two more books since they are, as wordless books, accessible to readers of any language.

One of the beauties of wordless picture books is that they require minimal translation but tell a wealth of stories. Wordless books are a great way to spark discussion in the classroom. With no text, the children can be encouraged to use their own words to tell stories and to think about the characters’ goals, wishes, emotions, motivations, and more.

A Boy and a House

A little boy follows a cat into an old building. As he climbs up the steps after the cat, he keeps finding drawings which he picks up one by one. The cat and the boy climb ever higher, toward the light shining down the staircases and through doorways. At the very top, a surprise is waiting for the boy.

The stunning illustrations in sepia tones enchant with nostalgic scenes of the past and with rooms full of books and art. Marvelously detailed illustrations invite the reader to go on this journey of discovery with the boy.

The book was included in the White Raven Selection 2015 and Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year 2018.

Every Little Kindness

As a girl searches for her lost dog, an act of kindness has ripple effects all around town. This brings the neighborhood together and sparks a sense of community.

The illustrations are done in pastel tones, but the kind deeds jump off the page as they’re emphasized with brighter colors. The readers can easily follow the girl’s journey through the neighborhood.

Ferdo, veliki ptič / Ferdo the Giant Bird

Ferdo is a giant bird who lives peacefully with the villagers. Because of his size, Ferdo assists in the construction of new buildings and sweeping the chimneys, but when that makes him thirsty and he goes to the lake to take a drink, he drinks the entire water supply for the village. He flees the village after angering the villagers, but the matter is resolved once he brings a large cloud over the village and it starts to rain so the lake fills again.

The illustrations are simple but evocative. 

Darilo / A Gift

Curious Mimi enjoys discovering the secrets and surprises of the lively streets in her town. Along the way she discovers which gifts are the most precious.

The playful illustrations spark joy in the reader and suggest that life is full of precious gifts if only we know where to look for them.

About Brigita Orel

Brigita Orel lives in Slovenia where she works as a translator from English into Slovenian. In her spare time, she either reads books, writes them or researches them. She can be found on the web at https://brigitaorel.com/