”Packaging” Poetry around the World

Are you interested in the design of poetry books like I am? I am always intrigued by the choices made in illustration, typeface, spacing, paper, covers, and more. Even if I can’t read the words (as in this handful of poetry books that made the IBBY Honour List), I find it fascinating to see how poets, artists, designers, and publishers “package” poetry in their countries. So, here are my rather amateur on-the-spot photos of some distinctive poetry books for children from Haiti, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Ecuador, and Slovenia.

IBBY Honour List Poetry Selections

HAITI (French)
Roumain, Jacques
Jacques Roumain parie aux enfants
(Jacques Roumain talks to children)
Ill. Lyll-Martine René



IRELAND (Irish)
Ní Ghlinn, Áine
Brionglóidi agus aistir eile
(Dreams and other journeys)
Ill. Carol Betera



ITALY (Italian)
Quarenghi, Giusi
E sulle case il cielo
(The sky above the houses)
Ill. Chiara Carrer




MEXICO (Spanish)
Paso Fernando del
¡Hay naranjas y hay limones!
Pregones refranes y adivinzas en verso
(There are oranges and lemons)
Ill. Josel

NETHERLANDS (Dutch)
Gerlach, Eva
Het punt met mij is dat ik alles kan
(The issue for me is that I can do everything)
Ill. Charlotte Vonk


ECUADOR
Illustrated by Chamorro, Marco
Cielos descalzos (Barefoot skies)
Written by Wafi Salih



SLOVENIA
Ilustrated by Stepančič, Damijan
Majhnice in majnice.
Pesmi mnogih let za mnoge bralce
Buddings Songs, Maying Songs
Written by Tone Pavček


[For annotations of these titles, see entry prior to this one. Just as a reminder: The IBBY Honour List is a biennial selection of outstanding, recently published books, honoring writers, illustrators and translators from IBBY member countries around the world. The first Honour List in 1956 was a selection of 15 entries from 12 countries. For the 2010 Honour List, 54 countries have sent 164 nominations in 44 different languages—with a total of 64 entries in the category of “writing,” 52 in the category of “illustration,” and 48 in the category of “translation.” This list provides a “welcome opportunity to study and review the production of children’s books” around the world—the best each country has to offer an international audience.]


Posting (not poem) by Sylvia M. Vardell © 2010. All rights reserved.