Photo by Vladas Braziūnas

Vytautė Žilinskaitė (b. 1930-2024) emerged as a writer of children’s literature in the mid-1960s. She is currently one of the most renowned children’s authors with nearly twenty books to her name – short stories, fairy tales, plays and novellas. Some of her best known works are Robotas ir Peteliškė (The Robot and the Butterfly) and Kelionė į Tandadriką (The Journey to Tandadrika). During the Soviet period, her works for children were published in most European countries. Afterwards, she also received the award for the best children’s or young adult book of the year three times in 1997, 2001 and 2007. Although she has written realist works, she remains an unrivalled creator of literary fairy tales in the history of children’s literature. Combining the imagery of the real world with the fantasy one, she aims to reveal the variety of people’s characters and opinions, and analyses problems and “philosophizes” on selected topics. “We shouldn’t be afraid to show children life as it is <…> We must implant a moral strength in them, prepare them for disappointments: let them know from their early days that there are many misfortunes ahead. <…> We should also be careful not to let a child’s heart be covered in fat, so that material things don’t overshadow their spiritual basis and they can feel what truly matters today.” 

Kelionė į Tandadriką (The Journey to Tandadrika), illustrated by Stasys Eidrigevičius. Vilnius: Vaga, 1984, – 245 pp; illustrated by Gintaras Jocius. Vilnius: Alma littera, 2003, 2013, 2020, – 294 pp.   

This fairy tale transports us to a cold night of New Year’s Eve. Lonely, broken, discarded toys find a spaceship in the depths of a forest and fly away to Tandadrika – a planet of toys, where all their dreams will come true and they will be well and happy again. The toys embark on a dangerous journey, not knowing what awaits them. Good books are timeless, and have no age limits. The writer manages to create a deep, multi-layered and multi-level book that’s full of action and vivid, expressive characters. Younger readers can focus on the characters’ impressive adventures, while older readers are able to analyse their psychological portraits. In-depth contemplation of philosophical and existential problems brings The Journey to Tandadrika closer to an adult reader. 

Selected translations

Slovenian: Potovanje na Tandadriko. Translated by Klemen Pisk. Ljubljana: KUD Sodobnost International, 2013