The comic book about Knedlík, Noček, Svíčková, Brokolka and their friends is meant primarily for children, but it will entertain grownups as well. Episodes are full of humour, facts about Czechia, its culture, traditions and also interesting phrases.
Author: Multi authored
All or nothing. Project finished on Dec 15, 2024 at 10:41.
Once upon a time there was a magazine. Not only was, it still is! It is published online and it is called Krajánek (Little Compatriot). As the name suggests, it is a magazine for Czech children (but not only) abroad. Its editor-in-chief Ivana Kaçmaz had once mentioned - when planning the upcoming year's columns - that it would be great to have a comic in it as well. And that was a welcomed challenge for Zdeňka Strigaro, editor and illustrator, who had entered the editorial board of the magazine having already in mind smuggling, sooner or later, a comic into it.
So, Zdeňka will be the illustrator. But who will write the script? Here they came up - Lenka Kanellia, who had experience in writing for newspapers and for children, and Jana Schulzová, one of the regular editors of the magazine and a teacher at one of the Czech schools abroad. One word led to another, or rather one email led to another, because Zdeňka lives in an Italian town Castelletto Sopra Ticino, Jana in Milan and Lenka in Greek Athens.
So, there was the team. But what will the comic be about? And in particular, who will be the main character? We had a couple of ideas. And then… “Knedlík!” Lenka suggested and all three of us got excited about the idea. Knedlík is the most typical Czech side dish - a kind of dumpling or boiled bread. So the decision about the main character was taken and Knedlík’s adventure could begin...
The first episode called Knedlík a velký útěk (Knedlík and the Great Escape) was published in the magazine on January 6, 2017 - and it still is one of our favorites. Then, everything worked like a charm - we have been publishing a new episode eve
y month for more than 7 years now. Knedlík, Noček, Svíčková, Brokolka, Bábovka, Smažák, Malina, professor Chleba, Žvejka, school teacher Vepřo-Zelo and many other interesting characters experience adventures, one after the other. What will it be next time? When thinking of a new plot and an educational content (delivered in an amusing way), we also project our experiences of our Czech motherland into the script. We want to explain our homeland to kids, even those living abroad, describe it, its culture, traditions, experiences and activities, typical and usual there. Thanks to this particular attention, in 2021 we were acknowledged a grant from the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic for an unmarketable publication of the comic book Knedlík a jeho dobrodružství - the collection of all the stories published at the time - destined to Czech children abroad.
Due to the limited number of copies, the first edition of the book has reached just a minor group of readers. Nevertheless the book attracted considerable attention! Funny stories have engaged both young and adult readers in the Czech Republic and abroad. The beautiful 4th place in the competition for the most popular children's book of 2022 called The Book of Children's Heart, V. F. Suk Prize is the confirmation of Knedlík’s popularity. Since then we have been repeatedly asked by parents, teachers and librarians where to purchase the comic book.
We want to publish the book again and in a higher number of copies so nothing stands in Knedlík´s and his friends´ way to new readers! That is the reason we opted for this crowdfunding campaign!
The main character of the comic book Knedlík a jeho dobrodružství is Knedlík (who else). He was cooked/ prepared by a Czech grandma, who was staying at her daughter's abroad, for her grandchildren. Knedlík then finds himself in the Czech Republic. Soon he meets his future best friend Noček, whose family takes Knedlík to stay in. Before long he becomes acquainted with his dreamy Svíčková, meets Brokolka and other schoolmates.
They experience a lot of funny, thrilling and happy adventures, at a cottage in the country, on water, at a summer camp, at school or when flying a kite. During a history lesson they get to know the first Czech president Masaryk, at a chemistry class they create fireworks, Knedlík´s school participates in a ski trip, in a grape harvest, a bike trip and visits a castle. In order to impress Svíčková, Knedlík signs in ballroom dancing lessons, he protects nature, plays football and ice-hockey, cleans up castle Lednice. Together with his friends Knedlík builds a snowman, goes to Matějská amusement park, enjoys students´ Majáles or a Witches night, a lantern parade, or he assists a fish harvest. They discover treasures in an attic and play with May kittens. He will not miss Czech Christmas, Humberto Circus or a weekend at Noček´s grandparents.
All over the book you will find facts about the Czech Republic, its history, interesting idioms, traditional Czech activities and customs and lexical expression. In this entertaining way we bring children to reading and we support their visual literacy. The comic, as an attractive form of literature, has a big potential to strengthen children's motivation and interest in reading. Thanks to visualization, shortcut and wit, a comic is able to mediate even demanding or complex topics. Children can read the book at home all by themselves or with their parents, but a comic can be used in an easy and creative way in educational programmes and workshops as well.
Zdeňka Strigaro
Comes from Brno and lives in northern Italy in Castelletto Sopra Ticino, a small city right above the river Ticino not far away from fabulous Lago Maggiore. She loves to sit by her writing desk and edit Italian books translated into Czech, to illustrate books for children and to translate as well. While not seated at her desk she takes care of her family, does gardening, goes on trips and walks the dog in the fields, gazing at the mountains in the distance and letting new ideas come to her.
Recognition sign: loves dumplings, especially from Grandma.
Lenka Kanellia
Born in Plzeň, but brought by destiny to Athens. She facilitates the connection of the Czechs living abroad and helps to maintain Czech cultural heritage within compatriot communities. Her long term aim is to build and strengthen the good name of the Czech Republic abroad and get people from all over the world to know its beauties and cultural wealth. She presides over Krajánek ve světě Association and Czech Association in Greece, she is the head of numerous educational projects and a member of some work groups interested in various expatriate issues.
When a comic was mentioned for the first time within the editorial board, she said: “I cannot miss that!” and her destiny was sealed.
Jana Schulzová
She was born in Prague, studied and worked there. But at some point, life had different plans for her and she found herself in northern Italy, in Milan. And somehow it happened that the Czech language and writing had become her daily bread and hobby as well. For many years she has been contributing with her articles to the magazine Krajánek. She participates in an educational online programme destined to children from all over the world and she takes part in activities promoted by the Czech School in Milan, a school which had been under her guidance for four years. She takes an active part in organizing activities for expatriates, children and adults.
Writing, educational activities and the expatriate community keep her in constant touch with her mother tongue and close to her homeland. And thanks to Krajánek and Knedlík she is living her dream (that before had been hidden somewhere): creative writing.
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