For those of you looking for Christmas books for children, two new translations of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s “The Little Prince” have just been published.
The one shown above is a sort of double translation, as it’s a graphic adaptation by Joann Sfar with translation by Sarah Ardizzone. It’s published by Walker Books (who really should credit the translator, tsk, tsk).
Ros Schwartz’s translation is from the original version. It’s published by The Collector’s Library (who do mention her name – so kudos to them!).
“The Little Prince” isn’t just for children, of course. I read it when I was at university, and now that it’s available in graphic form too its appeal will be wider still.
Writing in “The Blog at the Crossroads“, Paul Gravett, who works in comics publishing and promotion, had this to say about Ros and Sarah’s new translations:
“Translation is an underappreciated art [love you, Paul] and, having done a few comics translations myself for Escape Magazine, I know these sensitive wordsmiths deepened my admiration greatly”.
For those of you who read French, here’s the official website of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. And here’s the Wikipedia Saint-Exupéry page, for those of you who don’t.
By Marian Dougan
2 Responses
I’m Sarah Ardizzone, the translator of Joann Sfar’s graphic novel version of The Little Prince, and – for the record – I’m very clearly credited by my publishers, Walker Books, on the inside title page. I can only imagine that Walker’s design is so in keeping with the original French title page that you haven’t noticed the translator’s name there?
Kind regards.
You’re most welcome.
I don’t have a copy of your book, or of Ros’s for that matter. This wasn’t a review as such, just one of a series of posts with Christmas-gift suggestions for lovers of books and language. So I don’t get review copies of the titles mentioned.
As regards the credit, I was referring to the Walker Books web-page for the book, where as far as I can see your name isn’t mentioned (if it is there and I’m missing it, please let me know). I’ll amend the post, but I do think you should be credited on the website as well as on the inside title page. Websites are very, very important.