engleski

Reading Winnie-the-Pooh in Croatian primary schools

The canonical value of A.A. Milne Winnie-the- Pooh stories as classics of childrenʼs literature has been established almost upon their publication. The affable toy bear and his friends were positively received by both critics and readers – first in anglophone countries, and gradually (via numerous translations) by audiences around the world. Despite enjoying global popularity (significantly increased after the release of the Walt Disney Studio’s animated adaptation of Milne’s books in 1977), Winnie-the-Pooh was translated into Croatian 60 years after its initial publication, in 1986 (trans. Mia Pervan- Plavec). A second translation appeared in 1998 (trans. Marina Leustek). This fact is even more curious in light of the fact that the book has been included in the recommended reading lists for the subject Croatian in Croatian primary schools since 1960. Although not a constant presence in the Croatian curriculum for lower grades of primary school (grades 1–4), the Pooh stories have reappeared in the recommended reading lists in 1968, 1972, 1993, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001, and 2006. This inclusion gradually led to the appearance of special editions of the second translation (published in: which included a variety of additional texts intended to make the book more comprehensible to young readers, such as annotations, a lengthy foreword and afterword, information on the author and work, after- reading questions, etc. Situated within the theoretical and methodological framework of translation (specifically comparative translation) and literary studies, the present paper provides an analysis of the 1998 Croatian translation of Winnie-the-Pooh (Medo Winnie zvani Pooh) specifically designed with primary- school readers and class discussions in mind (published in 2005, 2007, and 2012). The analysis will focus on the text itself (which will consistently be compared to the 1986 translation), as well as the supporting materials. In this way, the research aims to explore the reception of Milneʼs book in Croatia, its perception as a childrenʼs book, and its status within the Croatian primary school curriculum. More generally, the analysis will also provide insight into the perception of the child reader on the part of translators, editors, and other individuals included in the process of adapting the book, his/her needs and interests, level of education/literacy, etc.

A.A. Milne ; childrenʼs literature ; Croatian as a school subject ; literary translation ; Medo Winnie zvani Pooh ; recommended reading ; Winnie-the-Pooh

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