Neringa Vaitkutė (b. 1974) has a Master’s degree in zoology and teaches biology. As a writer, she is still very young. Her constant regret is that she started writing too late. Her brave and confident debut was Vaivorykščių arkos (Rainbow Arcs, 2014), a magical fantasy story that grew into a trilogy. It was soon followed by another fantasy trilogy, as well as by realist and fairy tales books. She only writes for children and young adults because she doesn’t think this kind of book is in any way inferior. She also recommends that others cease to see children’s literature as a stepdaughter crouching down in the shadow of other books. Neringa’s books transport us to places that can only be seen with the help of a powerful imagination, where characters are faced with important decisions of bravery, honour and sacrifice. Her work offers exceptional vibrance, effortless flow, skilfully combining the rich language and masterful imagery of nature with a fast-paced, immersive plot. Neringa herself is charmingly optimistic, energetic and inexhaustibly imaginative. “I sometimes tell myself stories before falling asleep so that I don’t have to think about everyday life, and then these episodes merge into my stories.” 

Klampynių kronikos (The Swamptown Chronicles). Vilnius: Nieko rimto, 2018, – 232 pp. 

Little Swamptown, which one would be hard-pressed to come across by accident, is home to mythical creatures like fairies, sprites, boogeymen, where all sorts of miraculous and mysterious things take place. It is also the home of the twins Agata and Aringas and their little sister Smiltė. Living in such a strange place means a lot of adven-ture: encountering creatures that are not always friendly, getting mixed up in scary stories, and also learning valuable lessons about life and what is most important. The worlds created by Neringa Vaitkutė, best known for her fantasy trilogy for children and teenagers, are always colourful and full of adventures and surprises. Her language – lively, vivid and inventive – is quite special, too, which is why Swamptown comes alive before the eyes of every reader. 

Neringa Vaitkutė (b. 1974) is a biology teacher and the author of eight books. Vaitkutė was a nominee in the best children’s book category in the 2018 Book of the Year selection.