‘Spot’light on Italy

Jennie recounts the latest chapter in her quest to add an Italian version of a Spot adventure to her bookshelves.

For long-time readers of this blog, this is a continuation of a journey – the collection of Spot books in the languages of the countries I visit. The processes of acquiring these titles is as much fun as reading and sharing them when I get home. If you want the background on my international collection dip into the archives and read Spot the difference and Spot the difference: The next chapter.

This treasure hunt began on the east coast of Sicilia in Catania and traversed across the island – Syracusa, Agrigento, Trapani and Palermo – surely the capital would have a copy! No, not a Spot to be seen. Armed with an iPad for this expedition, misunderstandings were eliminated (and the fun of barking like a dog in the middle of a bookshop was obsolete) as Google translate made it all a little too easy. So we searched for “libro illustrato” by the ‘autore’ Eric Hill. Mind you, without capital letters, this translates into ‘collina eric'.

So in Sicilia we did not find a single copy of the beloved Spot. However, we did find some fantastic bookshops and it was heart warming to see that these ranged from corporate chain stores to small village home-owned stores. The Italian bookshop is alive and well – Read all about it! Much was familiar – the children’s section was usually to the back or upstairs – coffee shops (with biscotti and pasticceria!) were often present with many familiar titles and popular authors translated into Italiano. L'Albero (The Giving Tree) by Shel Silverstein and Un Libro (Press Here) by Herve Tullet were present in most shops, and the latter was purchased, packed and brought home just to press my buttons.

Fairy tales made up a significant part of the children’s collection and included mass produced version – Disney being a favourite – alongside beautiful renditions – the one that grabbed my attention was a version illustrated by Rebecca Dautremer (now added to my collection, in English).

To continue the journey and the treasure hunt, from Sicilia we had a briefer sojourn on the mainland – Salerno to explore the Amalfi Coast and Napoli, and then to Roma. In and out of bookshops we went and it was in Roma that the quest was completed, in the largest store of the Feltrinelli Libri e Musica chain.

So now I have an Italian Spot sitting on my shelves next to a number of other foreign language picture books – a wonderful journey to remember as I dip into Spot va in Vacanza – how fitting!

Jennie Bales
CBCA Tas Social Media person, adjunct lecturer with Charles Sturt University, teacher librarian in the past, and lover of travel and children’s books.
https://jenniebales.wordpress.com/

Spot the difference: The next chapter

 

Further to my April post http://cbcatas.blogspot.com.au/2014_04_01_archive.html, the foreign language picture book collection has grown since a recent journey to Japan.  Always with an eye open for popular children’s books in foreign languages, Japanese book shops did not disappoint – but Spot was harder to find.

My forays were based in Tokyo and my first bookshop browse found numerous popular English language titles. The most notable: The Giving Tree and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. But not one Spot book could I spot. Loath to go away without one Japanese title, a mini version of Eric Carle’s greedy caterpillar was purchased and easily stowed.

But now I was on a mission and that night logged into the trusty iPad and searched for the largest Japanese bookshop I know – Kinokuniya. And found it! In Tokyo! Just a few train lines and subway stops away.  

Kinokuniya is 6 storeys high, with each floor focusing on a particular genre of book. Naturally, signage is in Japanese and helpful shop assistants kept directing us to the foreign language floor. In the end we caught the elevator to the 6^th floor and worked our way down. And on the 4^th floor we found the children’s department. Joy J

There were a few challenges. There were many, many books – shelves of them – most with only their spines showing. We scouted around until we located a large section of translated books. There were The Giving Tree and the Very Hungry Caterpillar, and the recent rerelease of The 3 Robbers amongst many others. But no sign of Spot.  A young non-English speaking shop assistant came to help.  With some dramatic dog like actions, tail wagging and ‘woof woofing’  (wondering if dogs said ‘woof’ in Japanese) the light dawned and she took us to the non-fiction pet books. We took her back to the translated section and tried a different tack. I picked up The 3 Robbers and without being able to read a word of Japanese, correctly identified the author’s name on the cover. The sales assistant said “Tomi Ungerer’ with a delightful accent. I then wrote down ‘Eric Hill’ on her notepad, ‘woofed’ and she laughed. A light bulb moment. Off to a senior sales person, a computer search, and back she came, straight to the shelves, flicked through the spines and pulled out two Spot books.

And yes, I bought both. I have added Japanese versions of Where’s Spot and Who’s There Spot? to the collection. A successful, and hilarious, day’s shopping. And as a matter of interest, both books were in hardback and were priced at around $12 each. Books in Japan are affordable and highly valued.

Jennie Bales

Spot the Difference

Scene 1: July 1988, Cardiff, Wales

Setting: Strolling though the streets of Cardiff and entering a bookshop.

Action: As a fledgling teacher librarian, it was only natural to head to the children’s section where a mixture of English and Welsh language books were displayed. A familiar character leapt off the shelves into my arms. I stared at Spot with his party hat, bone and blue balloon and read the title – Parti pen-blwydd Smot. Without knowing a word of Welsh I knew that this was the story of Spot’s birthday party. I opened the cover, turned the pages, lifted the flaps and ‘read’ the story. What fun! This would be a wonderful way for children to read, compare, contrast and share a favourite story and character. So… the book was bought and stowed in the bottom of the suitcase.

Scene 2: September 1988 Limerick, Ireland

Setting: Strolling though the streets of Limerick and entering a bookshop.

Action: Heading straight to the children’s section with a mission – Yes! There was a row of Spot books on the shelves. And in the middle was Bran a lá breithe with Spot in his birthday hat, complete with blue balloon and beribboned bone. And so a collection was born.

Scenes 3, 4, 5….

Over the years and through the course of several overseas trips a range of Spot books has been added to the collection, but not always the story of Spot’s birthday party. With translations in over 60 languages, Spot can be spotted in bookshops across the globe. Although available for purchase online, that would take away the fun, adventure and exploration that is involved in adding to the collection in situ. The collection is a form of memorabilia as it symbolises significant destinations over a series of journeys. Spot titles on my bookshelf include the French Spot á la ferme, the German Flecki im park, Spot goes to school in the Italian Spotty va a scuola and the first story of this much loved pup, the bilingual Chinese version Xiaobo zai nali | Where’s Spot? purchased in a massive Chinese stationery store in Singapore.

 

As time passes, the availability of Spot books in some foreign countries has become more problematic, but the thrill of the chase, the exploration of unusual backstreets, visiting shops you would otherwise not enter and the delight in finding the unexpected, remains. There is always the dilemma of what to do if you cannot find a Spot book on a shop’s shelves – in Kingston or Istanbul for example – or if you see another local language title that you recognise. And that is another story…

 

 

Jennie Bales

 

(Apologies from the blog officer - I have no idea why the font etc is varying in this wonderful blog!)