On Unusual Librarians, Good Readers, and a Confusion of Literary Characters Who Finally Find Their Stories

Abstract

This paper introduces a selection of children’s literature which features the library as a literary setting and as an important repository of knowledge in human history. Libraries are directly related to books, which are directly related to writing: the development of writing systems, writing materials, the printing press and books is outlined in a work by Aksinja Kermauner, Modrost starodavnega anka [The Wisdom of the Ancient Ank] (2000). The study further focuses on the literary works that share a common theme, i.e. the theme of literary characters who come to life and emerge from books, creating a confusion. The basic element of these literary works is intertextuality, since it is familiarity with the literature referred to that brings resolution to the chaos and restores the initial order. Such works, classified as fantastic literature, require a good reader who can assign the characters to their respective narratives and thus solve the problem. The study focuses on the following texts: Neobična knjižničarka [Adventure in the Library, lit. An Unusual Librarian], a fantastic short story written by Kašmir Huseinović and illustrated by Andrea Petrlik Huseinović (Slovene trans. 2011); Kérity, la maison des contes [Eleanor’s Secret], a fantastic short story written by Anik Le Ray and illustrated by Rébecca Dautremer (Slovene trans. 2012); and 49:03:39, a fantastic novel by Neli Kodrič Filipić (2008). Another important aspect besides intertextuality is the cultural and historical context of the primary referential books. The setting in the three books analysed is a library, either public (Neobična knjižničarka, 49:03:39) or private (Kérity).

Keywords

• children’s literature
• library as a literary setting and as an important repository of knowledge in human history