To many Chinese kids, The Adventures of the Little Onion is a familiar and interesting story. Its famous Italian author Gianni Rodari, has in fact written many other works that enjoy a high level of popularity among children elsewhere.
Now all these books are becoming available in China. Xiong Siqi has more.
Gianni Rodari's Work in China
Gianni Rodari is an Italian writer and journalist, most famous for his children's books. He received the biennial Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1970 for his lasting contribution as a children's writer. He's considered Italy's most important twentieth-century children's author. His books have been translated into many languages.
However, except for The Adventures of the Little Onion, his other works remain little known in China.
Miao Wei is deputy director of the books center of China Children's Press and Publication Group.
"Rodari's works are not new to Chinese readers. China introduced The Adventures of the Little Onion as early as 1990s. But for many reasons, Rodari's major representative works remain unavailable to Chinese readers. So now my publishing group plans to introduce and promote all his works to Chinese young readers."
Gianni Rodari wrote the little onion's story in 1951, which is about the wonderful adventures of the small but brave Little Onion who stands up to the tyrannical and greedy Prince Lemon, Baron Orange and Duke Tangerine, outwitting them at every turn. And, as usually happens in books, good and justice triumph in the end.
According to Miao Wei, thanks to the great popularity of little onion's story, they are determined to tap the market potential of his other books in China.
"In terms of a fairy tale in which all fruit and vegetables could speak, the Adventures of the Little Onion conveys a theme that opposition against tyranny is needed in seeking freedom and equality. Hence I think his works reflect richer meaning and contains rather more philosophy than other children's books, which would play a guiding role in their education."
Mei Zihan, a senior children's book editor in China, also thinks highly of Rodari's books.
"We can put it in a simple way: by reading Rodari's books, children are expected to shake off those disqualified qualities midway, which may not be welcomed as they get into society. These books are also expected to help grow more goodness, warmth and brightness from the bottom of the teens' heart. Then our society would become much better and cleaner."
In order to improve Chinese children's knowledge of Gianni Rodari's works, a promotional activity has been held recently in Beijing by the publication group that Miao Wei works for.
A number of primary school students have joined the activity, during which they were guided to read Rodari's works, such as Fairy Tales over the Phone.
Many of these pupils said that they had in fact done research concerning the author before this activity.
Jin Yifei is from Fuxue Primary School.
"I did research on Internet, finding he's a renowned writer of children's books, who have won the international Hans Christian Andersen Award. He has many publications, including The Adventures of the Little Onion, which is my most favorite book. It is such a lively book that everything including fruits can speak. I've also learnt a lot in reading the book and think I should more use my head when encountering difficulties like that smart onion."
His book series include "The Blue Arrow" that the author finished in 1953, his 1962 works, "Gip in the Television", "The Cake in the Sky" which Rodari wrote in 1966, and many other works that have exerted and would also continue their influence far and wide.
For Studio Plus, I'm Siqi.
