Daniela Fischerová

Deformatory

Pohoršovna Pohoršovna
Pohoršovna
Mladá fronta, 2014, 120 pp
9788020432704
Awards:
 2016 IBBY Honour List
 2015 Golden Ribbon Award – Literary section: Literature for children
Read an excerpt:
English
Goodreads rating
90.2% (Rated by 35 users)
Children’s and Young Adult  |  English sample translation available

This original children’s story is a Golden Ribbon winner in the children’s prose category and draws on the current popularity of magic-school narratives, but transforms imported fantasy models through comically turning the tables. In the land of the despotic ruler Cruelhead there is a reformatory institution for maladjusted spooks who, rather than harming people, suffer from various embarrassing forms of niceness and perverse kind-heartedness. Unless the whip of Malefica Grudgeberth is quick enough to intervene, these beings could easily turn into doctors without borders or guide dogs. Recruiting from gabbling “dorcs”, “lampires”, who spend nights reading books, and the little-promising “imp in development”, will they eventually conform to the deformatory’s code of conduct? Only the Fairy Godson, an inconspicuous little boy, sees what is going on due to his soothsaying gift. Daniela Fischerová’s masterful use of language, supported by situation humour, a pleasant helping of disorderliness and Jitka Petrová’s dynamic illustrations, leads junior-school children to the conclusion that both people and fairy-tale creatures should strive for the reconciliation of our two worlds.

Praise

„An incredibly funny story which you will read in one sitting. The author, Daniela Fisherová, skilfully plays with the Czech language, she looks into the intestines of every word and transforms them into new, unexpected meanings which move the story forward.“

— Jana Vyskotová, Kultura21.cz

Illustrations
Pohoršovna
Mladá fronta, 2014, 120 pp
9788020432704
Awards:
 2016 IBBY Honour List
 2015 Golden Ribbon Award – Literary section: Literature for children
Read an excerpt:
English
Goodreads rating
90.2% (Rated by 35 users)