Czech literature for children and youth

The encyclopaedia Orbis sensualium pictus (1658) by Jan Amos Komenský is regarded as the first ever international book for children. At first, children’s literature was regarded as a purely didactic genre. In the late 19^th century, however, works with artistic ambitions appeared as well, e.g. Fireflies (Broučci, 1876) by Jan Karafiát and Josef Václav Sládek’s poetry, e.g. Golden May (Zlatý máj, 1887). The interwar period is regarded as the “golden age” of children’s literature in Czechoslovakia, when the anthology A Basketful of Fairy Tales (Nůše pohádek, 1918–1920), Nine Fairy Tales (Devatero pohádek, 1931) by Karel Čapek, Kubula and Kuba Kubikula (Kubula a Kuba Kubikula, 1931) by Vladislav Vančura and Little Bobeš (Malý Bobeš, 1931–1931) by Josef Věromír Pleva were published. Excellent children’s books were also published in the communist era, by such writers as František Hrubín (Chick and Grain – Kuřátko a obilí, 1953), winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Award Bohumil Říha (Buzzard the Plane – O letadélku Káněti, 1957) and Václav Čtvrtek (About Rumcajs and the Robber’s Son Cipísek – O Rumcajsovi a loupežnickém synku Cipískovi, 1973).

Czech illustrators of children’s books and picture books also have a good reputation; Jiří Trnka, Květa Pacovská and Petr Sís won the Hans Christian Andersen Award for illustrations.

Many characters (e.g. Mikeš the Cat, the Mole, Ferda Mravenec) and stories from children’s books have become a part of folk culture by means of their audio versions, animated fairy tales (e.g. television bedtime stories) and later also merchandising, and have also become export products.