Milda Pleitaitė, Kazimieras Momkus, Vaida Kunigėlytė. Kastukas sugrįžo (Kastukas Returns), Vilnius: M.K. Čiurlionio namai, 2025. – 81 p.

The book introduces children to the most famous Lithuanian artist, painter, and composer of the late 19th–early 20th century, Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis (1875–1911). Čiurlionis enriched European modernist art with original works synthesising painting and music. He is considered one of the pioneers of abstract painting and created more than 300 paintings and graphic works. His multilayered works feature elements of symbolism, Art Nouveau, and Secession, as well as cosmogonic, religious, historiosophical, and psychological themes, expressive compositional rhythm, and subtle yet striking colour combinations. The book was published to mark the 150^th anniversary of Čiurlionis’ birth.

Each page spread contains a brief, fact-based biographical story, chronologically presenting the life of Konstantinas – affectionately called Kastukas by his family – his childhood environment, playful antics, emotions, early signs of talent, and its development through his studies and mature years. The book takes readers not only to various locations in Lithuania connected with Čiurlionis’ life, now considered memorial sites, but also invites them to follow his study and travel routes across Europe – Leipzig, Warsaw, the Caucasus, Saint Petersburg, neighbouring Latvia, Prague, Dresden, Vienna, and more. Readers are moved by the extraordinary love story between Čiurlionis and his wife Sofija, as well as by the end of the artist’s life, poetically presented by the authors. The book includes informational notes on the artist’s friends, patrons, cultural and scientific figures, and various historical or biographical facts. The illustrator selected a colour palette characteristic of Čiurlionis’ paintings. Artistic and poetic illustrations, with historically styled photos, postcards, and letters either reinterpreted or integrated into the drawings, subtly draw readers into the world of the artist’s time and imagination, seamlessly connecting past and present.

The book is appealing to children interested in art, music, and culture. It is also ideal for parents and educators wishing to discuss creativity, dreams and vocation with children – showing how a small boy from the town of Varėna became one of Lithuania’s most prominent artists.

Milda Pleitaitė (b. 1972) is a music educator and professional violinist. She has worked for many years at the M. K. Čiurlionis Culture and Information Centre in Vilnius, coordinating exhibitions, leading educational programs for children, and publishing books. Inspired by M. K. Čiurlionis’ paintings, she co-authored the children’s fairy tale book Šiandien karaliai mums pasakas seka (Today the Kings Tell Us Tales, 2017).

Kazimieras Momkus (b. 1970) is a poet, public figure, and co-author of books about M. K. Čiurlionis.

Vaida Kunigėlytė (b. 1964) is a graphic designer and lecturer who creates visual identities and labels for companies and festivals, leads creative workshops for children and adults, and participates in plein-airs and group exhibitions. Kastukas Returns is one of her first major book illustration projects.

Contact for rights: m.pleitaite@gmail.com