Vytenė Muschick, Marius Marcinkevičius, Lina Itagaki. Prieš srovę: Sabiha – žuvų draugė (Upstream: Sabiha – The Friend of Fish), Vilnius: Aukso žuvys, 2023. – 72 p.  

Upstream: Sabiha – The Friend of Fish tells the story of a brave girl called Sabiha Kasimati, who grew up to be an even braver woman. Sabiha was living in Albania, and her greatest passion was exploring fish. But then the country fell under the rule of the cruel dictator Enver Hoxha. Because of his reforms, people were put in jail, killed and exiled. But Sabiha was not frightened of any hardship. She headed towards her goal like a wild salmon, determined and unstoppable.
Sabiha Kasimati is a historical figure, a scientist and ichthyologist. Her bravery and dramatic fate enchanted the creators of this book. The complex events of her life are told from an unexpected angle – from the point of view of a fish. It is a story about courage, fervour and creative inspiration. The book has also been translated into Albanian.

Vytenė Muschick (b. 1972) is a translator, author of publishing ideas, and an enthusiastic publicist of Lithuanian books in other countries. She studied Lithuanian and Scandinavian philology in Vilnius, Reykjavik and Uppsala. She also graduated in Germanic philology in Budapest and currently lives and works in Berlin and Belgrade.

Marius Marcinkevičius (b. 1966) is a writer, doctor and traveller. In 2016 he made a successful debut as a children’s writer. He has written many books for children and one for adults. His work has won a number of literary awards, including the Lithuanian section of IBBY Prize for the best Lithuanian book for children and young adults in 2020. His book Akmenėlis (The Pebble) was also included in the IBBY Honour List. His books have been translated into other languages and adapted for stage, and have become an inspiration for songs.

Lina Itagaki (b. 1979) is an illustrator, comic book creator and a flamboyant personality. She graduated in economics in Japan as well as in graphic design at Vilnius Academy of Arts. She is actively working and participating in exhibitions in Lithuania and abroad. The artist’s debut illustrated book, Sibiro haiku (Siberian Haiku, 2018), received international critical acclaim, including the German Children’s Literature Award in 2021. She illustrated Audra Baranauskaitė’s book Nukas, which was selected as the best children’s picture book in the same year. Her historical comic book Grybo auksas (Grybas Gold, with Rasa Grybaitė) received an IBBY nomination as one of the best books for children and teenagers of 2021. The Girl with a Gun won the Lithuanian Publishers Association Prize for the best illustration of the year in 2023.
Illustrator’s portfolio: https://linaitagaki.com/

Selected translations

English / Albanian: Against the stream / Kundër rrymës. Translated into English by Vytenė Muschick. Translated into Albanian by Luljeta Lleshanaku. Stockholm: Pionier Press, 2024

Contact for rights: sigita@auksozuvys.lt