Benas Bėrantas, Vilija Kvieskaitė. Bambukas yra lėėėtas (Bamboo is Slooow), Vilnius: Nieko rimto, 2021. – 32 p. 

This educational picture book tells the story of a small open-hearted panda bear called Bamboo. He takes part in races along with other residents of the jungle, but keeps being the last to cross the finish line. He is bullied and ridiculed for being so slow. But why is the slowest necessarily the worst?! Going at his own pace, he ends up saving his friends and bringing out his best qualities – as it turns out, being slow allows him to be attentive and patient with others.

Benas Bėrantas (b. 1989) is the author of five children’s books, a translator and the only independent agent of children’s literature in Lithuania. His books have been translated into twelve languages. Bėrantas also plays in the world’s only existing band of children’s writers, Knygų vaikai (The Book Children). He takes part in international book fairs, where he introduces foreign publishers to Lithuanian authors.

Vilija Kvieskaitė (b. 1988) is a graphic designer and children’s books illustrator. Bamboo is Slooow is her third collaboration with Benas Bėrantas.
Illustrator’s portfolio: https://www.behance.net/vilijakvieskaite

Selected translations

Slovenian: Bambušček je počaaasen. Translated by Klemen Pisk. Radovljica: Didakta, 2023

Latvian: Bambuss ir lēēēns. Translated by Dace Meiere. Riga: Latvijas Mediji, 2022

Arabic: البامبو بطيء. Translated by Zeina Idriss. Abu Dhabi: Thaqafa Publishing & Distribution LLC, 2021

Contact for rights: benas@booksmugglersagency.com