Top Translated Children’s Books of All Time

What many people do not know is that their favorite children’s or young adult book may be an English literature translation. Likewise, there have also been many books, written in English, that were subsequently translated into other languages as well. Unsurprisingly, the Harry Potter series has been translated into 68 different languages. Keep reading to learn about a few other children’s classics that have been translated into other languages.

The Pasta Detectives

If you are in America, look for the title, ‘The Spaghetti Detectives’. This book was originally written in German by author Andreas Steinhofel. It is the story of a young boy looking all over Berlin in search of his best friend who has been the victim of a kidnapping. The main character is a little boy named Rico who is smart and quirky. Most importantly Rico has an eye for detail which makes him a great detective.

Read also: How to find an international team of experts for German translation services?

Tahmineh’s Beautiful Bird

This beautiful story was written by written by Iranian author Parviz Kalantari. A chance is a small bag that is woven by Persian weavers. In this story, Tahmineh is watching over a flock of sheep. When she plays her flute to entertain herself, a beautiful bird joins in. To capture the moment, she makes a chanteh with a picture of the bird. As is typical in children’s fiction, this causes a magical result.

The Snow Queen

Hans Christian Andersen wrote The Snow Queen in 1844. Through the years it has remained a classic, and one of Andersen’s most acclaimed literary works. It has been translated into English as well as multiple other languages. However, some translations do deviate a bit from the original storyline. Sometimes, book translation services must make modifications to ensure that new audiences can be related to a story. Even translation of quotes can be an issue if readers are not familiar with the meaning behind the quote. This is especially true with children’s stories. In recent years, the book became the subject of a film adaptation. It’s true! Disney’s hit film Frozen is based upon The Snow Queen.

Are You There God? It’s me, Margaret

Judy Blume’s novels have been translated into dozens of foreign languages. One of these books is Are You There God? It’s me, Margaret. This is the coming of age story of a girl on a quest to find which religion is right for her as she grows up in an interfaith household. While she struggles with this, she must also contend with several other things. These include her changing body and a bit of competition with her friends on who is growing up the fastest. Because Margaret, her feelings, and her struggles are so relatable, it is not surprising the book has maintained such global popularity.

A Series of  Unfortunate Events

This fictional series of 13 books by author Lemony Snicket has been translated into 41 different languages. It is the saga of two orphaned siblings who are being raised by their dastardly and murderous relative Count Olaf. As the stories reveal themselves, Olaf tries to ‘off’ the children by orchestrating various disasters, all of which the children outsmart or outmaneuver.

Read also: Who is the World’s Most Translated Author?

Conclusion

Thanks to personal translation services, great children’s books are available for people to read around the world. Anyone who is interested in reaching a larger audience with their literary works should strongly consider using a professional translator.