Translating the Future, Tuesday!

Translating the Future, this Tuesday, June 2, 1:30 pm ET

Translators of Children’s Books Take Center Stage

This Tuesday, June 2 at 1:30 pm ET, the “Translating the Future” conference turns to children’s books.  Our own Pirate Tree reviewer, Lyn Miller-Lachman will lead a conversation between Lawrence Schimel and Daniel Hahn. As part of “we need diverse books,” we also need to reach young readers and their parents as early as possible if we want them to be receptive to international literature in translation.  Listen in to this conversation between two of the most acclaimed translators of children’s literature into English today. Lawrence Schimel lives in Madrid, Spain, and has translated children’s books into Spanish. He is the author of poetry, fiction, and picture books. Hahn lives in the U.K. and translates from Portuguese, Spanish, and French. He is also an activist and scholar, the author of The Oxford Companion to Children’s Literature.

Lawrence Schimel (photo by Nieves Guerra) and Daniel Hahn (photo by John Lawrence).

This panel will address these issues:  Translators of children’s literature—always read by both adults and children— face various unique challenges. Two weeks ago in their panel “Translating the Uncertain Present,” Madhu Kaza and Lina Mounzer talked about the tension between reflecting the original language and culture and making the translated work accessible. We’ll talk about how this balance shifts when the readers are children and teenagers, who may have fewer cultural references but a greater openness to the world.

Here’s the listings for TRANSLATING THE FUTURE

Center for the Humanities:  https://www.centerforthehumanities.org/programming/childrens-literature-in-translation

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/2567952126790310

Eventbite link where people can Register (and please do register, signing is then much easier):

Howlround: https://howlround.com/happenings/livestreaming-translating-future-childrens-literature-translation

Send your questions beforehand or during the event here: translatingthefuture2020@gmail.com.

 PEN Children and Young Adult Books Committee, who helped promote this event, suggested a bibliography of notable translations by the participants. Here it is:

Daniel Hahn translated:

Acioli, Socorro, The Head of the Saint. Delacorte, 2016. Young adult.

Mello, Roger. You Can’t Be Too Careful! Elsewhere Editions, 2017. Picture book. Mildred L. Batchelder Award honor book.

Lawrence Schimel translated:

Ofono, Trifonia Melibea. La Bastarda. Feminist Press of the City University of New York, 2018. Young adult. Global Literature in Libraries Best Translated YA Award honor book.

Villoro, Juan. The Wild Book. Yonder, 2017. Middle grade.

Translations by Lyn Miller-Lachman include:

Cristina, Henriqueta. Three Balls of Wool (Can Change the World). Enchanted Lion, 2017. Picture book.

Rodrigues, André; Ribeiro, Larissa, Desgualdo, Paula; and Markun, Pedro. The President of the Jungle. Translated by Lyn Miller-Lachmann. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2020. Picture book.

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