Honoring The 100 Year Legacy Of Writer Éva Janikovszky

Móra Publishing House and the Éva Janikovszky Literary Foundation are paying tribute to the memory of writer Éva Janikovszky, who was born 100 years ago, withnbooks, events in Hungary and abroad, a theater performance, an animated film premiere, and the world premiere of a choral work.

As part of the Janikovszky Memorial Year, a new volume of stories never before published in book form, entitled Még óvodás vagyok! (I’m Still in Kindergarten) will be released in February as a companion to Már óvodás vagyok! (Nursery School, Here I Come!). This will be followed by a commemorative volume entitled Utazás az íróasztalom körül (Journey Around My Desk), which presents the author’s literary career, while Trend Publishing will also release the author’s revised Janikovszky books for adults, Ájlávjú and Ráadás, and Naphegy Könyvek’s biographical series will feature a children’s book by Nóra Majoros about the life of Éva Janikovszky, entitled A lány, akivel mindig történik valami (Something’s Always Happening to Me), announced Móra Publishing House.

Numerous schools, cultural centers, and libraries have indicated that they will join in the commemorative year, with schools in Budapest, Kozármisleny, and Szeged (southern Hungary) bearing the author’s name taking on a prominent role, while the districts of Erzsébetváros, Terézváros, and Hegyvidék in Budapest are also preparing a series of events for the anniversary.

The Éva Janikovszky Story Writing Competition, organized by the Szabó Ervin Library in Budapest, is now a tradition, and this year marks its 21st edition. Kult7 and Eötvös10 will welcome visitors with children’s programs, readings, and exhibitions, while the Ciróka Puppet Theater in Kecskemét (central Hungary) will present a performance based on Janikovszky’s book Bertalan és Barnabás (Basil and Barnabas) on February 7.

Several programs will be organized throughout the year in the author’s hometown of Szeged, including a festive discussion with actors Eliza Sodró, Máté Martinkovics, and the author’s son, János Janikovszky at the Agora on February 24.

In March, Sicc Production, in collaboration with the Latinovits Theater in Budaörs, will present an innovative performance based on Éva Janikovszky’s books at Budapest’s Akvárium Klub.

On April 23, the 100th anniversary of the author’s birth, MOMkult will host an all-day program, which will include the ceremonial presentation of the Janikovszky Awards and the premiere of a choral work composed by contemporary French composer Isabelle Aboulker, based on the book Ha én felnőtt volnék (If I Were A Grown Up), with lyrics translated by contemporary poet, Dániel Varró. In addition, the audience will be treated to a pop-up exhibition and a theatrical performance.

Alongside that a new animated film is being made to mark the anniversary, based on Éva Janikovszky’s most widely translated book, Ha én felnőtt volnék (If I Were A Grown Up), directed by Melinda Nyulász.

Among the programs, the Embassy of Ukraine in Hungary is celebrating the Ukrainian-language edition of the book Kire ütött ez a gyerek? (Just Who Does This Child Take After?) by announcing a literary competition for 8-16 year olds entitled Az úgy volt (It Was Like This).

As reported, the traveling exhibition presenting the life of Éva Janikovszky has been shown at 121 locations in Hungary and three locations abroad. This year, it will be on display in Szolnok, Tiszakécske, Szarvas, Orosháza, Szeged, Deszk, Békés, Szentes, Kunszentmiklós, and Kiskunfélegyháza.

Éva Janikovszky, a Hungarian writer and editor who won the Kossuth and József Attila awards, was born on April 23, 1926, in Szeged. She published her first book, Csip-csup, in 1957 under the name Éva Kispál, and her first book under the name Éva Janikovszky, Szalmaláng (Straw-Flame), was published in 1960. In 1954, she joined Ifjúsági Kiadó, which took the name Móra Ferenc in 1957. She started out as a proofreader at the publishing house, later becoming an editor, and then editor-in-chief in 1964. She played a key role in ensuring the outstanding quality of 20th-century Hungarian children’s literature, editing works by István Fekete, Ágnes Bálint, István Csukás, Magda Szabó, Pál Békés, and Ervin Lázár, among others.

She wrote her first book on commission, then after two novels for girls, Szalmaláng and Aranyeső, she began working with illustrator László Réber. Her texts, with their ironic humor, hold up a distorted mirror to readers, questioning the relationship between tradition and modernity and encouraging readers to think more deeply about child-adult relationships.

The book series was not only successful in Hungary; in 1973, Ha én felnőtt volnék (If I Were A Grown Up) won the Children’s Book of the Year award in West Germany out of some 500 books.

Éva Janikovszky’s books remain popular regardless of age group, with more than two million copies of her Hungarian-language books sold and her works translated into 35 languages.

Via MTI; Featured image: Fortepan / Hunyady József

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