Sunday 7 October 2012

How do you say it in translation? and a Giveaway.

GIVEAWAY WINNERS ANNOUNCED - (SEE COMMENTS FOR DETAILS)

Children love stories, no matter where in the world they live,  but often when I sit at home in Scotland writing a story I have no idea where it might travel to.
Publishers often want to sell co-editions of picture books, that is when they sell the rights to publish them to a publisher in another country.
I was visiting a school in Cairo this year and one of the teachers  came to tell me that What Colour is Love? had been a family favourite that he had read over and over again.


A nursery school in New Zealand was using it with their children.

I love it when one of my books gets translated and used abroad. It is interesting to note that if a book is to be translated into another language it is usually the publishers who organise the translation, which is why there is no point, if you are a translator, in approaching an author for work translating their book.


I once discovered some pictures on the internet of a school hall in Brazil.  Long sheets of cloth in different colours were suspended from the ceiling, and the teacher was reading my book to a class.
I smiled a lot that day!
I am fascinated to see how the words have been changed in the translation, to make it keep the rhythm or rhyme.
The Brazilian publication -translated into Portuguese- is in its 10th edition with the publishers Brinque-Book.

Since I get copies when it comes out in a new edition I have rather a lot of the Portuguese version Qual e a cor do amor?  so I thought I might give some away.
See below for the giveaway details.. 

  Some of my  books written for educational publishers have also been translated into other languages, too.
 
A Ball Called Sam, part of the Rigby Star series (Rigby Literacy in the USA)
 has been published by Carroll Education in Ireland


Three other Rigby Star titles have been translated into French for Galaxie. Interestingly they changed a little in translation.


The Giant and the Frippit became Le Geant et Le Korrigan
The Frippit was a made up creature, a mixture of an elf and a squirrel.  He became Le Korrigan which the 'Lexique' at the back tells us is ' an elf  (Breton)'

Korka the Mighty Elf  changed his name and became Luca Le Puissant Lutin



 Fizzkid Liz also had a bit of a makeover.  In the US version the title is Fizzkid the Inventor.In the Galaxie version her name changed to Beatrice,which I thought suited her French personality really well.
 







                                                                       GIVEAWAY  

I have two copies of Qual e a cor do amor?   and one copy of What Colour is Love? to give away.


  











If you would like a copy of either please leave a comment and say whether you want the Portuguese or the English version.

The winners will be picked out at random on 28th October 2012

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Website   www.lindastrachan.com
Blog BOOKWORDS
Linda Strachan is the award winning author of over 60 books for all ages, from picture books to teen novels, and writing handbook Writing For Children


21 comments:

Julie Rowan-Zoch said...

Would like to have seen that Brazilian classroom! Yes, I'd love a copy - the English version, please. Sorry to say, but no library that exchanges with my local one has any of your books! They must be louco!

linda strachan said...

Thanks, Julie, you are in the draw!

Diane Levine said...

I'm new to this site, and am already very excited by what I am seeing! It would be great to be entered for the draw, please! Portuguese version please - we love exposing our family to all sorts of languages and scripts.

Anonymous said...

How WONDERFUL to know your books are being enjoyed around the world. I'd love to be entered for the draw. Portuguese, please. Thanks!

Linda Strachan said...

Hello Diane, Your name is in, too. It's a great idea for children to see that books come in different languages. For them it is just another way of decoding words.

Linda Strachan said...

Hi Laura. Yes, it is a delight and not something I really thought about when I started writing. You are in the draw.

Claire F said...

I'm new to this site too, and am enjoying it so much! I would love to be entered into the draw for the english version of the book please x

Phaery said...

Hi. Our friend has a copy of this book that my daughter loves. We would love an English version to add to our bookcase x

Anonymous said...

The books look lovely. The English version please if our name is drawn.

Linda Strachan said...

Hi Anonymous

Thank you.
Can you leave me some initials or a first name for the draw, thanks. Just in case there is more than one 'anonymous'!

Linda Strachan said...

Hello Claire, glad you like the blog. You are in the draw.

Linda Strachan said...

Hi Phaery
Your name is in. Lovely to hear your daughter loves the book, too.

Anonymous said...

Hi could I please be entered for the draw, this book looks lovely and one I'm sure my children would enjoy. Should i be lucky enough to win a copy could Cara notify me (Sophie L) through Din, thank you x

Linda Strachan said...

Hi Sophie L.
Am I right in thinking you would like to be in the draw for the English version?

Anonymous said...

Sorry yes the English version please, thank you.
Sophie

Linda Strachan said...

From Catherine Friess
Hello Linda,
That is one of the most adorable elephants I have ever seen - I love his hair (piece?)!
I would love to win a copy for my daughter in English.
Best wishes,
Catherine

Natascha Biebow said...

Hi Linda,

I'd love a copy of the Portuguese version, please! I grew up in Brazil and am trying to teach my son Portuguese. The books looks lovely!

thanks!
Natascha

Linda Strachan said...

Hi Natascha
Great to hear from you. Your name is in the draw for one of the Portuguese versions!

Anonymous said...

Hi Linda,
I'm a Brazilian children's writer (well, I've published one book so far...) living in the UK, and I came across your blog as I'm looking around to see if I can find a suitable publisher for a series of wordless picture books I've developed.
I was happy to know about the success of you book in Brazil, and as I have a two years old son, I would be glad if you put my name in the draw for the Portuguese version.
I imagined how you felt seeing your book being read in a classroom in Brazil, as I had a similar experience. My book was distributed to all the public schools in Brazil and I too saw it on the internet, being used with children of different schools. What a warm feeling!
If you would like to have a look in my book, please go to: www.anaccozendey.wordpress.com
Thank you and all the best.

Linda Strachan said...

Hi Ana Carla,
Great to hear about your book! You are in the draw!

Linda Strachan said...

GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!

Thanks to all those who entered the giveaway.

The winner of the English Version of What Colour is Love? is - CLAIRE F

The winner of the two Portuguese versions of What Colour is Love? (Qual e a Cor Do Amor?) are

- lAURA S and NATASCHA BIEBOW

Could the winners please contact me on
picturebookden@gmail.com with their full names and addresses, also who they would like the books to be dedicated to (or if you simply want it signed let me know that, too.